Journeys

Mat Kearney @ Theatre of the Living Arts

2009-10-04T14:04:00.009-04:00

I don't know about you, but lately it seems like concerts have gotten insanely expensive and somewhat annoying. I don't like when I pay $100+ for a ticket and can barely even see the stage. If you feel the same way, then you would love Philadelphia's Theatre of the Living Arts.

We went to TLA for the first time last weekend to see Mat Kearney and were pleasantly surprised on numerous accounts. First of all, the ticket prices were incredibly reasonable ($29/ticket!!). What was even better was that the venue was small and intimate - TLA holds a maximum of 810 people - so you're not battling with the masses for a good spot. On top of that, the theater has a balcony and bar upstairs for the over 21 crowd. Since there weren't thousands of people to contend with, we were able to stand in the very front of the balcony with a clear view of Kearney. It was easily the best "seat" I've ever had at a concert...all for just $29!

Of course, TLA's location on South Street is a pretty sweet bonus too. Not only are there dozens of great bars and restaurants within walking distance, there's a parking lot just a block away. We parked by the theater a few hours before the show, walked around the city, had dinner and drinks and then enjoyed one of our favorite singers from a stone's throw away.

If you haven't been to the Theatre of the Living Arts, I highly recommend you check it out. They don't get the really really big names, but they've always got a pretty solid line-up. Click here for their upcoming shows:

http://www.livenation.com/venue/theater-of-the-living-arts-tickets

Book & Movie Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-09-18T14:35:00.010-04:00

I read The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger, about two years ago and aboslutely loved it! I would even go as far as to say that it's one of my all-time favorite love stories. So you can imagine my excitement when a) I heard they were turning this wonderful book into a movie and b) the movie would feature Rachel McAdams, whom I've loved ever since The Notebook. If you ask me it was a formula for success, which is I'm distraught to report that you're better of saving your $10 and waiting for this one to come out on DVD.

In all fairness, this is a difficult story to tell because, as you can imagine, the element of time travel requires a lot of jumping around in the story line. One minute you're in the present, the next you're in the future and a moment later you're in the past. The book pulled this off magnificently but the movie had a tougher time of it. Unfortunately, there were a few parts where I had to tell my husband what was going on because it wasn't overtly obvious that Eric Bana's character, Henry, had time traveled.

On the plus side, the movie was wrought with emotion and did manage to reduce me to tears a few times. Although, considering that I get weepy at those damn SPCA/End Animal Cruelty commercials with Sarah MacLaughlin's Angel playing in the background, I'm not sure that's really saying much :)

Movie Review: Twilight

2009-08-17T15:26:00.007-04:00

About three things I am absolutely positive: First, I love Twilight. Second, I love Twilight. Third, I love Twilight.

Okay, I admit, when the movie, Twilight, came out a few months ago, I thought nothing sounded dumber than a vampire love story. With the exception of Harry Potter, I've never been into fantasy movies or books and I didn't understand why everyone was making such a fuss. Until the other day...

I cringed when Dave came home from Blockbuster with Twilight in hand. I love him dearly but I couldn't help but think he had wasted one of our perfectly good trades from Blockbuster.com on a teeny bopper flick. I should've known it was coming, I suppose. After all, he had just finished reading the first book in the series and he had mentioned how good it was.
The movie sat on top of our TV, untouched, for a few days. But then on Wednesday he asked the inevitable question that I'd been avoiding all week: Do you want to watch Twilight tonight? I dreaded the blood, guts and fanged men in capes that surely made up this silly movie, but how do you say no to the best husband in the world who willingly sat through 27 Dresses, P.S. I Love You and a myriad of other chic flicks that I've subjected him to?

And so we watched Twilight.

And then we watched it again the next night. And again last night. That's right, 3 viewings in 5 days. And now I won't let him return it to Blockbuster until we buy a copy of our own because I'm absolutely addicted to it.

I just started reading the book and I'm hooked on that too. Dave is on the second book, New Moon, which he said is good but not as good as Twilight. I hear the third and fourth books are excellent. Needless to say, I'm counting down the days until the movie version of New Moon opens on November 20th.

Yep, I'm joining the masses...I LOVE Twilight. If you haven't checked it out yet, give this one a chance.

Musikfest 2009

2009-08-01T10:12:00.007-04:00

Like birds flying south when they sense the winter chill or sea turtles migrating dozens of miles to lay their eggs, there's something strange that happens in Bethlehem every July. It starts with the presence of parking signs in lots throughout the town. Then, magically, white tents appear under the Hill to Hill bridge and along Church and Main Streets. The energy in the town shifts and the locals begin to trade stories about the musical acts they're going to catch. And then, when the first week of August finally arrives, so do a million people from around the world. That's right, it's that time of year...Musikfest is here!

For those of you who don't know, Musikfest is a 10-day music festival in Bethlehem, PA that attracts over 1 million people from around the globe. It wasn't always such a sensation though. Started in 1984, the first crowd topped out at just over 180,000 people. But over the years, Musikfest's popularity has grown by leaps and bounds. If you've never experienced the phenomenon that is Musikfest, this is your year.

Here are some insider tips to help you enjoy your first Fest:

There are both free and pay-to-see musical acts playing on 14 different stages (11 of which are free!) There really is something for everyone since every music style imaginable is represented, from Polka to Third Eye Blind. To check out this year's lineup, visit http://www.musikfest.org/lineup/
Musikfest is hip to social media. They've got a Twitter feed, a Facebook fan page and a MySpace page, all of which give you real-time updates on special events and any concert tickets remaining.
Musikfest pays homage to Bethlehem's Germanic heritage, so all of the venues have a "platz" at the end of their names, which means "place." For example, Americaplatz, Martin Guitar Lyrikplatz, etc.
Parking can be a beast and the Bethlehem Parking Authority preys on violators. Your best bet is to take advantage of Shuttleplatz, which allows you to park at one of the official off-site lots and take a trolley in. Round trip fare is $4/person, which is much cheaper than the $30+ you'll pay if you get a ticket. For more info on parking lots and Shuttleplatz, visit http://www.musikfest.org/about/directions.asp
Don't try to approach a food vendor with cash, you need tickets for everything. Ticket booths are located throughout the festival. I recommend scoping out what you want to purchase first or else you'll have no idea how many tickets to buy and you'll end up throwing away perfectly good tickets.
The last night of Musikfest (Sunday, Aug. 9) is always celebrated with a fantastic fireworks display. It's definitely one of the highlights of the festival, however it's the worst night for parking, so do yourself a favor and leave extra time to shuttle in. The best views are from the library and the bridge. One of the most popular spots, is on the grassy knoll beneath the library. Just keep one thing in mind: people start putting out their blankets and chairs that morning. Don't show up a half hour before the show and expect to find a good spot there.

Musikfest 2009 started yesterday and will be in full swing through Sunday, August 9th. For more information, visit www.musikfest.org. Hope to see you there!

Book & Movie Review: My Sister's Keeper

2009-07-16T13:46:00.007-04:00

So many people I know LOVE Jodi Picoult, but until a couple weeks ago I'd never read her work. So I was thrilled when I had the chance to read My Sister's Keeper right before the release of the movie. Normally, when I read a book and then watch the movie I tend to be disappointed. But when I heard that Nick Cassavetes, director of The Notebook, had directed the movie version of Picoult's novel, I was hopeful. The verdict? The movie was GREAT! It's one I'd consider buying and watching again and again. The only downfall was that some crazy person in the theater kept blowing her nose during the tear-jerking scenes...oh wait, that was me. (P.S. bring tissues!)

The movie definitely differed a lot from the book (don't worry, no spoilers) - certain characters were changed, a couple were left out, a few sub-plots never made it to the big screen and the overall story works itself out differently in the movie than in the novel. After the movie, Dave asked me which version I liked better and my honest answer was that I really loved and appreciated both. One thing that I applaud Cassavetes for was that he used a good amount of the author's voice and dialogue in the movie (he did this with The Notebook too). Picoult is definitely present in the movie, which made me like it all that much better.

Overall recommendation: Definitely worth the $10 to see it in the theater.

Paddling and Peddling the Lehigh Gap

2009-07-16T10:40:00.004-04:00

If you enjoying canoeing and biking, I highly recommend that you check out one of the PA Wildlands Conservancy's Paddle & Peddle events (http://www.wildlands.org/). We did the Lehigh Gap trip this past Saturday and LOVED it! A small group of us (about eight people plus the river guides) launched our canoes in Bowmanstown shortly after 10 a.m. and paddled down to Walnutport, stopping for a bite to eat about halfway. The "paddle" took a little over two hours. Unlike my other canoeing fiascos, this trip was actually enjoyable because the water level was just perfect - the current kept us moving and we didn't get stuck on any rocks. AND we actually learned how to steer the boat! As stupid as it sounds, I've always gone canoeing without ever really knowing how to steer the thing. But this time Dave and I maneuvered through the rapids and rocks like pros. That was the other awesome thing about the trip - since it was on the Lehigh, not the Delaware, we actually got to enjoy the exhilaration of some rapids.

We arrived in Walnutport a little after noon, hoisted our canoes out of the water and climbed on mountain bikes for the ride back to Bowmanstown. The trail back was flat and graded, making for a nice, easy ride. We actually learned that the trail is part of the Rails to Trails Conservancy program (http://www.railstotrails.org/), which is creating a nationwide network of biking trails out of old rail lines. How cool is that?!

About 15 minutes into the "peddle" we stopped at the nature center where we divided into two groups. The first group continued following the flat path along the river while the second group hiked their bikes up the mountain and rode along a scenic ledge. Dave and I joined the second group and were glad we did. The trail up top had some obstacles but was a fairly easy ride with dramatic views of the mountains and river.

I've always wanted to do something like this and the Wildlands group makes it so easy, providing the boats, the bikes and anything else you need along the way. I'm convinced we would never have been able to execute such an enjoyable trip on our own, so it was completely worth the $35/person fee. I hope you'll check it out!

Walk About: 6 Scenic Water View Trails in Eastern PA

2009-07-07T09:27:00.022-04:00

Now that this extended rainy season has seemingly passed (although, as I type this it literally started raining!), we're taking every opportunity we can to get outdoors. One of our favorite things to do - especially after a long day at work - is to hit the local hiking trails, particularly those with a water view. We've been making an effort to find and explore more trails in our area, so I thought I'd share some of our favorites:

1. Sand Island. Bethlehem, PA.

As part of the Lehigh River Water Trail, this path extends for a number of miles in both directions, making it perfect for a long walk or bike ride. The trail is a well-maintained, gravel surface with views of the Lehigh River on one side and the canal on the other. If you follow the trail east towards Freemansburg, you will pass by the new Sands casino at the site of the former Bethlehem Steel. Venture westward for a more natural experience (except for the noise from the rail cars that pass through from time to time). http://bit.ly/fF34N

2. Northampton Canal Park. Northampton, PA.

This one-mile paved walkway is perfect for a leisurely stroll along the Lehigh Canal in the borough of Northampton. The area was recently updated to create an idyllic park setting, complete with picnic pavilions, park benches and baseball diamonds. If you're looking for a longer walk, the southern end of the path connects to a dirt trail that leads you through the woods to the Hokendauqua Creek. If you venture out in the hotter months, you might even be able to catch a glimpse of the local children perched on the wooden platforms high up in the trees, waiting for their turn to soar through the air on their rope tree swing and plunge into the water below. http://bit.ly/FxtFc

3. Lakeside Trail. Tobyhanna, PA.

Follow the blue blazes for a 5.1 mile hike around the lake at Tobyhanna State Park. Not only will you enjoy numerous views of the pristine lake, but charming streams will surprise you every now and then, adding the meditative sound of trickling water to the chorus of chirping birds and rustling leaves. For the most part, the path is gravel and fairly level, however you will come across some patches that are uneven and rocky. You will also encounter some macadam, sand and grass surfaces as well. http://bit.ly/2jsN5C

4. Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. New Hope, PA.

Riverside trails can be accessed from the PA side (west bank) or the NJ side (east bank). Our favorite stretch is the Lumberville - New Hope, PA/Bull's Island - Lambertiville, NJ portion. However, as part of a 70-mile trail system, there is no shortage of pathways for bikers, hikers and joggers alike. Much of the trail is considered a wildlife corridor and contains over 150 species of birds. The trail is a well-maintained, flat, gravel path with various access points that offer up plenty of opportunities to stop for a bite to eat or a bathroom break. http://bit.ly/SuJCg

5. Tekening Trail. Martin's Creek, PA.

Follow the blue blazes for the Scenic River Trail, a 2.1 mile hike along the Delaware River in Martin's Creek. The Tekening Trail is a 5-mile network of pathways in Martin's Creek Preserve. Though there are three other trails to choose from, the Scenic River Trail has the most to see and is the only one with river views. It is a dirt hiking path through the woods with many uneven surfaces and obstacles. Be sure to wear hiking boots or very sturdy sneakers. The trail is great for hiking or mountain biking and there are several scenic overlooks along the way. The only downfall is the din of electricity being generated at PPL's nearby power plant. Luckily, you only hear it for a few minutes in the beginning of your hike and by the time you reach the river views, the sound is long forgotten. http://bit.ly/K6vwI

6. Bushkill Falls. Bushkill, PA.

Also known as the "Niagra of Pennsylvania", Bushkill Falls features a network of hiking trails that wind through the woods and past eight spectacular waterfalls. The trails are rugged (hiking boots recommended) and require a good deal of climbing. This area is more commercialized than some of the other trails and tends to get crowded on weekends and holidays. Plus, unlike the other trails on this list, Bushkill Falls charges an admission fee ($10/adult; $6/child). However when you're standing at the base of Bridal Veil Falls, you'll agree that the price is totally worth it. http://bit.ly/MEjgf

Book & Movie Review: Confessions of a Shopaholic

2009-07-01T09:16:00.004-04:00

Every once in awhile a movie comes along that is so bad that my husband actually bans my movie choices. My worst offense of all time was when I dragged him to see Solaris (I've never lived that down). Unfortunately last night's rental of Confessions of a Shopaholic came in a close second.

I read Sophie Kinsella's novel about 7 years ago and LOVED it, but the movie? Disappointing, to say the least. My biggest complaint is that they changed the story line way too much. For example, the novel is set in London and the protagonist, Becky Bloomwood, is a cheeky Brit with a hilarious rationale for her spending behavior. The movie, however, was set in NYC and Becky came off more clumsy and shallow than her lovable literary counterpart.

The movie also fell short when it came to the relationships between Becky and the other characters. For example, her conflict with Alicia Bitch Longlegs was underwhelming and I didn't really buy the attraction between her Luke Brandon.

Bottom line: save the rental fee, read the book.

Book & Movie Review: Revolutionary Road

2009-06-23T08:25:00.001-04:00

I recently read Richard Yates' Revolutionary Road and then rented the movie. The verdict...depressing, on both counts. In fact, a gray cloud literally hung over my head for a week after reading the book. And when I finally had the courage to rent the movie, the woman at Blockbuster tried to convince me not to because of how depressing it was. While I appreciated her advice, I completely ignored it and rented it anyway, determined to see for myself.

Not to sound cliche or like some sort of literary critic, but the movie wasn't nearly as good as the book. It wasn't nearly as depressing either, which was a major failure on its part because it's supposed to be depressing. I was also disappointed by the lack of on-screen chemistry from Leo and Kate. I mean, I bawled my eyes out at Titanic, but they didn't manage to pry even an ounce of emotion out of me in Revolutionary Road. Needless to say, when I returned the movie to Blockbuster, I warned the woman not to read the book. If she thought the movie was depressing...the book might actually push her over the edge.

I don't want you to get the wrong idea; the book was actually quite good. Richard Yates did a brilliant job capturing the characters' conflicts and his descriptions were so vivid you could practically taste each scene. If you're considering the book or the movie...go for the book, you'll get so much more out of it.

10 Things to do on a Rainy Weekend

2009-06-19T13:36:00.007-04:00

It's been rainy and gray here for so many days now that I've lost count. To make matters worse, thunderstorms are threatening to wash away the weekend too. The worst part about a rainy weekend is not knowing what to do with yourself, so I put together a list of 10 things to entertain yourself while you're cooped inside (and none of them require a television set):

1. Break out an old board game (or buy a new one).

2. Prepare a theme dinner complete with centerpiece, menu and costume.

3. Make homemade greeting cards.

4. Crack open a book you've meaning to read.

5. Take a well-deserved nap.

6. Call an old friend.

7. Learn some basic words in a foreign language.

8. Organize old photos.

9. Bake something tasty.

10. Create your own cocktail.

Wishing you a fun weekend despite the weather!

Book Review: "Belong to Me" by Marisa de los Santos

2009-06-17T17:00:00.001-04:00

Marisa de los Santos recently released Belong to Me, the sequel to Love Walked In. I just read it and...I loved it!

Many have asked if you have to read Love Walked In before cracking open Belong to Me? Not necessarily, but I would. While Belong to Me stands well on its own, and de los Santos does a solid of job of providing the relevant backstory, reading Love Walked In first will carve out a little place in your heart for Cornelia Brown that makes reading Belong to Me all that more fulfilling. Plus, to feel the true impact of the storyline, you really need to understand the relationship between Cornelia, Teo and Clare, which only Love Walked In can provide.

Regardless, Marisa de los Santos' voice is captivating, no doubt the result of her PhD in creative writing and her extensive background in poetry, and Belong to Me secured her as one of my favorite women's fiction writers. If you haven't read her work yet, I highly recommend it.

Long Branch

2009-06-09T16:04:00.010-04:00

Until last weekend, Long Branch, New Jersey was nothing more than an express train's final destination on the big black schedule board that hangs overhead in Penn Station. I've heard its name echo through the corridors of the station hundreds of times, each time triggering a stampede of people pushing and shoving their way down the stairs toward the waiting train below. And I've spent countless stretches of time watching the black tiles on the schedule board fall like dominos as the letters click into place forming, among others, the words Long Branch. Once, I wondered what Long Branch was like, but the thought fled my mind as quickly as it had entered when my own train was called and I bounded down the stairs toward my platform. So you can imagine my surprise when one of our friends, who's recommendations we trust implicitly, recommended Long Branch as the destination for the impromptu beach weekend we'd been considering. Long Branch? Really? Despite all the times I'd seen and heard the town's name, I never stopped to consider that it might actually be somewhere I want to go.

Luckily, Dave and I were both still a little buzzed from the corny optimism of renting Yes Man a few nights earlier and we ended up saying yes to Long Branch, even though we didn't know a single thing about it. So there we were, Saturday morning, Wawa in hand, gliding down the Garden State Parkway toward the promise of a lovely beach weekend. Our trip was off to a perfect start until we hit Rte. 36 - the stretch of road that corrals you from the vast interstate to this supposed beach paradise. Our hearts started to sink as we watched the scenery degrade by the minute, morphing from new shopping centers to old strip malls to boarded up store fronts and run-down buildings, and we were struck with the fear that our dear friend had meant Long Beach...not Long Branch. So, you can imagine our relief when we crossed over Ocean Boulevard and into the sliver of Long Branch where the sun glimmers across the ocean like scattered gold sequins, and palm trees - not native, of course - line the beaches, making you feel like you've arrived in some sort of remote tropical haven. This part of Long Beach is called Pier Village.

As we rolled through Pier Village, high-end restaurants called out to us, expensive boutiques shimmered in the mid-morning sun, and the boardwalk - which was brick-paved without a single splintery piece of wood in sight - invited us to stroll along the quiet stretch of unspoiled beach. We couldn't help but wonder, where are we? How, in all our years of avid shore going, had we ceased to realize that such a delightful little paradise exists less than 2 hours from our doorstep? Looking back on it now, it was like the universe had been whispering Long Branch in my ear all along, only I'd been too preoccupied to hear it. Our weekend in Long Branch turned out to be one of those perfect weekends, where the weather was just right and all the logistics - where to eat, where to stay, where to find rum cocktails in the late afternoon - clicked perfectly into place.

Recommendations

Lunch: Call Jr's (732-229-9600). The food is fresh (and reasonably priced) and they'll deliver to you right on the beach!

Dinner: Sirena Ristorante (27 Ocean Avenue). Ocean views, delicious food, need I say more?

Lodging: Ocean Place (1 Ocean Blvd. - just look for the big blue sea shell). If you're only interested in a one night stay, call their reservation line because the front desk staff will make you book two nights...according to their hotel "policy."

Travel Writing

2009-05-05T16:51:00.011-04:00

My latest travel articles on Barbados and Las Vegas have been published on TheSavvyExplorer.com. Check 'em out:

Barbados: http://bit.ly/iiiqG

Las Vegas: http://bit.ly/Cpz94

In case you missed some of my other adventures, here are the links to my Oslo article and my piece on Bergen and the Fjords. Enjoy!

Oslo: http://bit.ly/AjeVv

Bergen/Fjords: http://bit.ly/wR67q

My First 5k

2009-04-18T19:42:00.006-04:00

I've always wanted to run a 5k. It's one of those pesky little things that's been on my life's list of things to do for years now and every time I'm in my car and I see a race in progress I think, that should be me out there. Well, thanks to my step-sister in-law, Amanda, who invited me to the YWCA's Race Against Racism, my husband, Dave, who kept me company (and provided ample motivation along the way) and a beautiful weather forecast...today it was me out there!

Over the past few weeks I've been anticipating - and, ok, regretting - agreeing to do the race. Even though I run on the treadmill a few times a week, I was worried that an actual race with "real" runners might be more of a challenge than I could handle (and what about the hills?). You see, even though I run, I totally don't consider myself in the same category as those graceful runners who just seem to glide along the pavement effortlessly. For me, it feels like every step requires a ton of effort. But I'm happy to report that I completed the entire race without stopping - or complaining - in just under 31 minutes! I heard the winner finished in something like 17 minutes. 17 minutes! He was obviously one of those graceful types :)

Boxing

2009-04-01T16:40:00.010-04:00

I LOVE trying new things and last night, for the first time ever, I tried boxing. I have to admit, I was a bit of a skeptic when I walked into Boxx LV. They promised I'd burn 1,000 calories in an hour - not since my days of spinning has anyone made such a bold promise! I was so skeptical, in fact, that I got up early yesterday morning and squeezed in some intervals on the treadmill. Big mistake. I was beat after the warm-up. The WARM-UP! Needless to say, an hour of drills, punching, jabbing, hooking and floor exercises left my muscles convulsing to the point that I could barely spoon dinner into my mouth when I got home. As for today...let's just say I'm avoiding staircases and any unnecessary walking.

Overall, my boxing adventure was a great experience, one that opened my eyes to a different area of fitness and gave me a new-found respect for all the men and women who seriously train for this sport - it's no joke. And while you won't see me on UFC anytime soon, I will definitely return every now and then just for the challenge of it (and, of course, the calorie burn!).

Barbados sunsets

2009-02-18T17:37:00.003-05:00

My favorite part about our recent trip to Barbados wasn't the white sandy beaches or the turquoise blue waters. It wasn't the eighty degree weather or our beloved morning walks on the beach. It wasn't the delicious meals down at St. Lawrence Gap or even the rum - although that came in a close second. My favorite part of our trip was the sunsets. Each day as the sun dipped low in the sky, the beach emptied and every last person made their way back to the hotel to change for dinner or catch the evening news, completely missing out on the most beautiful part of the day. It was as if the sun waited for everyone else to leave before hiding behind the clouds and exploding into golden rays that stretched all the way across the sky and embraced us with its warmth. It was one of those moments I will take with me forever and return to whenever I close my eyes.

Wordle

2009-02-17T11:51:00.004-05:00

If you've gotten even a sliver of enjoyment from one of those magnetic word poems, then you should check out Wordle (www.wordle.net).

Click on the link to visit my word cloud about the things I love: http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/553111/Things_I_Love

Charleston

2009-01-14T14:03:00.007-05:00

We celebrated my birthday in Charleston this year and I have to admit, it was so refreshing to be in a new place as I embarked upon a new year of my life. It's amazing how a simple change of scenery allows you to breathe a little bit slower, take in your world more carefully, and regain your center.

Wishes

2008-12-03T07:13:00.003-05:00

There's something magical about the fountain in Prospect Garden. Surrounded by tall trees and abundant gardens, you're hidden from the world. It's the kind of place you stumble upon by accident and then never want to leave. It's where Dave and I first kissed and talked about our dreams. It's a place to be in love; to make wishes on pennies and watch them float to the bottom. Though the years pass quickly we visit our fountain from time to time and sit where we once sat and share a kiss. We visited our fountain a couple months ago, right as the leaves were beginning to turn magnificent shades of red and yellow. And as we sat on its concrete ledge and shared a kiss a little girl approached with a penny clutched tightly in her palm. She knelt near the edge and closed her eyes, silently mouthing her wish to the fountain gods. She held the penny so tightly her hand shook and her lips moved rapidly as she made her wish. Finally, after some time of this, she tossed her penny in the fountain and ran away. I've never seen anyone wish that hard for anything. Whatever it was, I hope her wish comes true.

Greatness

2008-09-21T19:25:00.006-04:00

"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different." - Coco Chanel

Did you have a chance to catch the Lifetime special on Coco Chanel? I'm always intrigued by stories like her's...people who achieve greatness even though the odds are stacked against them. Coco Chanel, for example, was once nothing more than a poor seamstress with a knack for how to pull an outfit together. It makes you look inside yourself and wonder...what am I capable of?

Precious Things

2008-09-18T07:02:00.005-04:00

There are few things more precious than a newborn's first smile at his great grandfather.

True Love

2008-09-15T12:36:00.010-04:00

Sunday; a sixtieth wedding anniversary. The following Saturday; a wedding. Contrast as stark as a black and white photograph balanced by the sanctity of their vows. The older couple holds hands, sixty years of marriage embracing them. The younger couple holds hands, the promise of forever unfolding before them. Everyone around them holds hands, humbled by the power of true love.

The Gold Man of Norway

2008-08-27T12:22:00.009-04:00

You may remember my May 25th post entitled, "Grimstad," in which I talked about the time we spent exploring my family's heritage in Norway. When you consider how much we discovered about Dave's heritage, we didn't find much at all about the Neilson family tree. That is, until now. Since returning from Norway, my Dad has been working with a research assistant from Stavanger who filled in a bunch of missing pieces for us. It turns out the story of my great, great, great, great grandfather, Captain Christian Paulsen is true! He did strike gold in the California gold rush and when he returned to Norway he was known as "The Gold Man of Norway" or "Guldmannen" in Norwegian. In addition to building the ship yard (for pictures, see the May 25th post) he built a beautiful waterfront home (pictured above), which recently sold for the equivalent of $5,000,000 USD. The current owner is professional Norwegian bicycle racer, Thor Hushovd, who recently won stage 2 of the 2008 Tour de France (check him out at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_Hushovd). We were so surprised when Thor responded to our e-mail inquiry. He told us he was familiar with the story of Christian Paulsen and the house. Plus, he was kind enough to send us photos!

Beautiful Celebration

2008-08-11T19:37:00.005-04:00

Yesterday Dave and I celebrated our 5-year wedding anniversary. It just so happened that our big day fell on the last night of Musikfest, which our town commemorates every year with a magnificent fireworks display. Living downtown, we were able to enjoy the show from the comfort of our front porch. We sat in complete darkness, holding hands and exchanging a few kisses, as the fireworks illuminated the night. And in that moment, it felt like the whole world was celebrating with us.

The Universe at Work

2008-08-06T09:03:00.009-04:00

"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." - Buddhist proverb

Have you ever noticed how people appear in our lives just at the right time? There seems to be a pattern of this in my life and I can't help but feel that it makes our journeys here that much richer. My favorite example of this was on a trip I took to Australia several years ago. It was the summer before I graduated from college and, at the time, I was constantly wondering what I should do with my life. As I boarded the plane to Sydney I got to talking with a woman in the waiting area who revealed that she worked as a new age therapist, helping people find their paths in life. I thought that was coincidental, but then when she ended up in the seat right next to me for the 18 hour flight, I knew it was the universe at work. This is how I felt a couple days ago when I met Cathy at my mother in-law's birthday party. Cathy is my husband's step-father's niece, but we had never met before. Over the past month or so, I've been trying to fit more creativity into my life - both personally and professionally. Despite how much I love all things creative, it's easy to melt into the couch after a long day at work and let my creativity sit idle. Cathy, I learned, is into anything and everything creative...just like me. We talked for hours about our projects and creative ideas and we both left that evening feeling inspired. Now I've got a 'creative buddy' who will not only continue to be a source of inspiration, she will hold my feet to the fire to make sure I'm being true to my creative soul. It's comforting to know that the universe is always at work for you, even when you least expect it.

The Vegan Experience: Beach Weekend

2008-07-29T15:11:00.006-04:00

I stuck to my guns and made it through the rest of the week with relative ease. My downfall, of course, was the weekend. Not to make excuses, but this wasn't just any weekend, it was a special beach weekend with dinners at Specchio, Buddakan, and McCormick & Schmick's. Naturally, my vegan lifestyle fell by the way side as I scarfed down fish, meat, and dairy by the forkful. Do I regret it? Not even for a minute. After all, how often do I get to eat at these terrific restaurants? Today, I'm back on my game knowing full well that I am likely to make special allowances for certain special occasions, like vacations, holidays, or my upcoming 5-year wedding anniversary. Week 1 taught me that with a little thought and preparation, the vegan lifestyle cannot only bring you better health and weight loss, it can be an enjoyable and satisfying lifestyle. Maybe one day I will be able to commit 100%, but in the meantime I am going to follow the rules day-to-day and allow myself the freedom to make allowances for special circumstances.

The Vegan Experience: Days 2 & 3

2008-07-24T12:22:00.005-04:00

I sit here, minutes before lunchtime on Day 4 of my vegan experience, pleasantly surprised at how easy - and enjoyable - this has been. So far, I've found that there are vegan substitutes for EVERYTHING and they all taste REALLY good! Even Dave has attested to the tastiness of the food and he's a tough critic when it comes to food. The biggest bummer so far has been cutting out Wawa coffee but I think I've found something even better: the chai soy latte from Starbucks...heavenly. For a DIY option, buy chai concentrate and soy milk from the grocery store and mix them in a 1:1 ratio...delicious! Now, I realize that part of the vegan experience is to completely purify your body and cutting out caffeine is part of that, however, I'm not a saint and for now the caffeine must stay. One of the trickiest things about this challenge is picking the right food. For example, I bought a butter substitute that's made out of olive oil, only to learn that it does contain a little bit of buttermilk (you have to read the nutrition labels super-carefully). So I botched up a little bit last night, but that's the great thing about calling this my "vegan experience" rather than my "vegan diet," it allows for imperfection and doesn't make me feel guilty when I mess up. Plus, the word "diet" screams "restriction," which naturally just tempts you to cheat. Surprisingly, I haven't felt the urge to cheat at all during my vegan experience. My next big challenge will be surviving the weekend (that's when all my best resolutions seem to fly right out the window!)

The Vegan Experience: Day 1

2008-07-22T09:32:00.003-04:00

I made it through Day 1 of my vegan lifestyle challenge with little difficulty. The hardest part was lunch. I bought vegan "lunchmeat" at the store and tried it on a sandwich (with vegan mayo, avocado spears, and sprouts). The veggies were good, but I didn't like the faux lunchmeat at all. For dinner, I made the Penne and Butternut Squash dish featured in Skinny Bitch - it was excellent. Luckily, I had enough left over for lunch today, so no more nasty sandwiches!

Skinny Bitch

2008-07-21T10:26:00.006-04:00

I love when new journeys spawn out of existing journeys, like this past weekend. We took a short road trip of sorts - my husband, my sister, and me. With endless amounts of highway looming before us, and stop-and-go traffic for several hours, my sister encouraged me to read aloud from the book she'd been reading, Skinny Bitch. It's a book that promotes the vegan lifestyle and blows the lid off the meat and dairy industries, serving up scientific information with a side of sass. Let me interject here, up until this point in my life I had been a self-proclaimed meat-loving individual who never seriously considered such radical lifestyles. However, this book really resonated with me, opening my eyes to the havoc that meat and dairy can inflict on the human body. Despite my love of seafood, pasta, cheese, and many other foods, this book forced me to consider whether I could adopt this lifestyle. I've decided to dip my toe in the water this week and see how it goes. Last night, I chowed down my last hamburger for a while and this morning I woke up to a glass of o.j. and a bowl of soy yogurt, wheat germ, and strawberries. Don't worry...I won't pat myself on the back just yet; lunch and dinner are going to be the real challenges!

Praise Wawa!

2008-06-30T21:46:00.006-04:00

Today when I walked into Wawa for my afternoon pick-me-up, I saw something that stopped me dead in my tracks: the coffee bar was surrounded by a priest and five nuns. Clad in brown robes with crosses and rosary beads hanging from their hips, they were in all their glory as they peacefully stirred creamer and sugar into their cups. I couldn't help but grin. I guess even the holiest people need a mid-afternoon caffeine boost!

Dylan David Liodice

2008-06-29T21:35:00.003-04:00

Well, he's finally here! Our nephew and godson, Dylan David Liodice, began his own little journey in the world on Wednesday, June 25th at 5:58PM. He weighed in at 7 lbs 8 oz and measured 19.5 inches in length. We all agreed that he is the most beautiful baby we've ever seen. Dave and I had a chance to hold him and it was amazing to feel his little newborn body in our arms. I couldn't help but look into his little eyes and wonder who he is going to grow into one day. For a tiny little baby, he's got a world of possibility within him.

The Phone Call

2008-06-25T05:05:00.004-04:00

Getting a phone call in the middle of the night is typically associated with bad news, however, the one we got in the wee hours of the morning was anything but. The call we've all been waiting for finally came around 4am this morning. Our newphew, Dylan, is on his way!

The Art of Relaxation

2008-06-23T08:45:00.004-04:00

"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are." - Chinese Proverb

Going down to the shore to visit my dad on his boat is one of our favorite things to do during the summer. I don't know whether it's the fresh ocean air or the lapping water, but the deeply relaxed state we enter when we're there is comparable to a week in the Caribbean. We drove down to Brielle on Saturday morning and by the time we reached the marina parking lot, all of our cares and concerns had vanished. We spent the day Saturday cruising around the harbor, admiring the multi-million dollar summer homes (see below), and picnicking on the Metedeconk River. Sunday, despite the grim weather forecast, Dave and I plopped down on the beach in Point Pleasant and closed our eyes as the sunshine warmed our skin and the sound of the waves whisked us in and out of sleep all day. This weekend was a great reminder of the importance of relaxation. We all get so busy in our day-to-day lives that sometimes it's hard to find the time to relax. Sometimes relaxing in itself can be stressful, especially if you're trying to organize a trip out of town. But I've found that even simple things, like sitting outside on the porch for ten minutes or taking a walk around the block, can help you find your inner calm amidst the most hectic of days.

As always, it was hard to see such a wonderful weekend come to an end, but Monday mornings always bring daydreams about what the next weekend might have in store.

(P.S. - Apparently the guy who owns this incredible manse is my age! Maybe I need to spend less time relaxing and more time inventing something!)

We could all learn a thing or two from Tim Russert

2008-06-17T16:05:00.008-04:00

Tim Russert gave the commencement address at my graduation from Lehigh University in 2003 and though I never watched Meet the Press, I was deeply saddened by his sudden death a few days ago. After learning of his passing, I proceeded to search the Internet for his name and was stunned by his list of professional accomplishments, which only magnified my sense of loss. Here was an accomplished man of a relatively young age who had just returned from a family vacation in Italy where they celebrated his son's graduation from Boston College. Things were good in Tim Russert's life and I'm sure he never thought that last Friday would be his last day. If he had, how would he have spent it? And what would he have thought of the mark he was leaving on the world?

The next day, I woke up and wondered...is today my last day? And if it is, am I happy with the things I've accomplished and the general direction of my life? The answer is yes and no. Yes because I've achieved 3 things that are deeply important to me: 1) find true love, 2) travel the world, and 3) live creatively (I could certainly improve on this one, but I do the best I can with the time I've got). On the other hand, I look at someone like Tim Russert, who has accomplished so much greatness that it makes my life seem so small and trivial. There is still so much accomplish! How does one accomplish so much greatness in life? How do we each leave our own special mark on the world? One answer that immediately springs to mind is...fill your life with the things you're passionate about and eliminate, if you can, the extraneous things that drain you of your energy and rob you of your passion. Of course, to do this we need to closely examine our lives and be willing to make some painful changes. For some people, it might mean ending a bad relationship and for others it might mean changing jobs. Whatever it is, it doesn't make sense to spend our remaining days here doing anything other than the things we feel passionate about. After all, even if today is isn't our last day, we're one day closer.

A Lesson in Patience

2008-06-17T14:23:00.012-04:00

After our European backpacking adventures of 2002, camping disappeared from our lives for a while and I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe living out of a backpack and tent for five weeks gave us our fill? Maybe we failed to make the time? Whatever the reason, last year we finally started to dip our collective toe in the exciting world of camping again, after five years of being away from it. We've taken it slow thus far, camping at "safe" places with bathrooms and easy access to Wal-Mart for forgotten marshmallows and chocolate bars. This past weekend marked our first camping trip of the 2008 season and while it was great fun, it was also a lesson in patience. Typically, we camp in May because we enjoy the cooler climates and sparsely populated campgrounds. Camping in the middle of June, however, brought with it some interesting surprises, like intense heat that forces you out your tent at 6:30 a.m. and summer thunder storms that force you to seek shelter under a very rickety, and difficult to assemble, canopy (courtesy of Wal-Mart). Luckily, we were with our friends, Chris and Bri, who know how to fun no matter what the situation, so a night of Texas Hold 'em ensued despite buckets of rain pouring down all around us. Overall, we had a great time camping, although there was one part of our trip that was borderline intolerable: the wild insects that look like they could be part of the cast of Transformers 2. Poor Chris found an insect that can only be described as a flesh-eating, giant-winged half-caterpillar, half scorpion on his leg as he was tucking in for the night. Believe me, Chris's screams cut through the night air like a knife!

Sending some inspiration your way...

2008-06-10T12:35:00.003-04:00

If you haven't heard, J.K. Rowling recently spoke at Harvard University's Graduation Ceremony(http://harvardmagazine.com/go/jkrowling.html). Though I haven't read a single Harry Potter book, I love J.K. Rowling for what she represents...the power to make your wildest dreams come true despite your circumstances. Here are three quotes from her speech that I found inspiring and wanted to pass along:

"We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better."

"What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality." - Plutarch

"As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters." - Seneca

God-parenthood

2008-06-08T19:24:00.003-04:00

Now that we're home from Norway, Dave and I are gearing up for the arrival of our first nephew, Dylan David Liodice...due July 5th. Chris and Randi are pretty certain that he will arrive early, so we're eagerly awaiting the phone call! Today was such a special day because Chris and Randi asked me and Dave to be Dylan's god parents. Of course, we accepted with honor. This is such an awesome responsibility; to play a role of spiritual, moral, and religious guidance in our young nephew's life. You cannot imagine how honored and excited we are feeling tonight! What an amazing journey this will be!!

(photo: Randi in all her pregnant glory)

Bethlehem on the Big Screen

2008-06-03T12:38:00.004-04:00

We've only been home a couple days and already life is full of adventure. Our normally quiet little town of Bethlehem has been cast as the opening scene in the 'Transformers 2' movie. Apparently, through the use of green screens and other digital enhancements, the Steel will play the part of a Chinese industrial city. Dreamworks began filming yesterday, so helicopters were flying over the Bethlehem Steel for several hours last night. And since our house is just up the hill from the Steel, our walls were shaking and every now and then spotlights sliced through our yard and illuminated our windows. The experience made us think of the poor souls living in Iraq and how frightening it must be to live in a war zone. You can check out the complete story on the Morning Call's website: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_4movie-r.6440670jun03,0,5867176.story

(Photo: courtesy of www.mcall.com)

The Story of Dave's Heritage

2008-06-02T13:45:00.002-04:00

Ok, the amazing story of exploring Dave's heritage has been posted. Scroll down to the May 26th post entitled, "Biland." Enjoy!

The trip may be over but the blog lives on

2008-06-02T13:31:00.002-04:00

Life is a collection of a million little journeys, so check back from time to time to continue hearing about mine...

Good to be Home

2008-06-02T12:28:00.019-04:00

We arrived home last night around dinnertime with no food in the house and no energy to go grocery shopping, so we resorted to our lazy night routine...melting into the couch with a pizza and catching up on the Lost season finale (I fell asleep an hour into it, so I still don't know how it ended). We slept for what felt like a hundred years and woke up at 6:30a.m., to the most beautiful morning. The air outside was brisk and cool and the sky was that cloudless clear blue that only comes a handful of times throughout the year. Wide awake and wired with energy, we decided to go for a walk before work. I don't know if it was the jetlag or the fresh energy that Norway had injected us with, but walking around our little town was like seeing everything with new eyes; things that are normally so boring and familiar had taken on new life...neighboring houses were more beautiful than I had remembered, the other people out walking were friendlier, and overall my life here was more inspiring than when I had left it. And then a completely unexpected thought arrived in my mind...it's good to be home. I guess even after the best journeys, there is something soothing about coming back.

Last day

2008-06-01T01:50:00.003-04:00

We spent the last day on a train ride from Bergen back to Oslo, which took about 7 hours. The scenery was maginificent and it gave us some time to reflect on all the wonderful memories from our journey.

This morning we're catching our flight back to Newark and arriving back at home around noon. In keeping with family tradition, we spent some time last night at dinner talking about where we want to go next...maybe Greece? I'll be keeping my fingers crossed on that one!

Biking in Bergen

2008-06-01T01:45:00.003-04:00

Our last day in Bergen, we rented bikes and pedaled through new parts of the city. What a fun way to see a new place. We checked out the University of Bergen and a beautiful park, covering a lot more ground than we ever could have on foot.

The Fjords

2008-05-28T18:06:00.003-04:00

Today we took a boat trip through the fjords. Interestingly, most people choose to take the trip up the Søgnefjord, which is about 3km wide, making the contrast between the cliffs and the water less dramatic. My dad learned that a much less known fjord, the Nærøyfjord (which we think translates to "narrow fjord"), is actually the one that was named a World Heritage sight. And because it's a much narrower fjord, the mountains literally tower over you as you're cruising down the waterway. Many of the mountains are so tall that they are covered with several feet of snow at the top! The waterfalls we saw along the way were some of the most spectacular in the world, dropping hundreds of feet. Plus, the bus ride out here took us down the steepest road in Norway...here's one of the stunning views we saw:

To top it all off, the train ride back to Bergen winded up through the top of the snow-capped mountains, where we saw undescribable waterfalls and even an icy lake. The air was so brisk and clean, all day I felt like I was in one of the purest places in the world. Today was literally one of the most beautiful days of my life.

Bergen

2008-05-28T17:57:00.003-04:00

We took the speed ferry from Stavanger to Bergen on Tuesday, which took about 4 hours. I spent the time sleeping, writing, and admiring the scenery along the fjord and I've concluded that there's not an ugly part of this country.

Bergen is another lovely port town on the west coast of Norway. With houses and shops dating back hundreds of years, Bergen is called "the gateway to the fjords" because you can access Norway's most spectacular fjords, which have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List (which is the modern day equivalent of being one of the wonders of the world).

We're all very excited because we finally sampled fiskerbøller (fish ball soup) aka Bergen stew, which is a tradition in my family. The name may sound displeasing but the dish is phenomenal.

Stavanger

2008-05-28T17:43:00.002-04:00

We spent Monday in the darling port town of Stavanger (on the west coast), touring the historic district and a church that dates back to the 1100s (I'll post pictures later as I don't have that memory stick with me at the moment). We visited the hall of records - which we imagined would be this gigantic library-esque place - to see if we could track down any of the Neilson family relatives. As it turns out, it's a tiny room on the third floor of a poorly marked old building with computers that are at least 5 years old. Plus, everything is written in Norwegian, which, unless it's numbers 1-10 or the days of the week, means nothing to me. Luckily, we were able to hire a researcher to look for records on our known ancestors. We came back an hour later to learn that she had found nothing. This, of course, piqued our interest. My first reaction was one of dismay...maybe our trip was going to turn out like that credit card commercial and we were going to learn that we're really Swedish. But then as Stina showed us her search process we realized that a number of variables were at play. Did we know the exact year the family traveled to the US? Which port did they leave out of? Did we have the correct spellings of their names? All questions we were not 100% sure of. Luckily, we were able to hire Stina to continue the search and contact us once she finds something. We've resolved to go back to the US and research some of the holes in our information.

Family Tree

2008-05-27T04:59:00.002-04:00

Sunday was an amazing day, one of the most amazing of my life. As far as journeys go, boy do we have a story for you. Let's just say we made some tremendous discoveries when exploring Dave's Norwegian heritage. Unfortunately, his mom is on vacation at the moment and he wants to share the details with her and the rest of his family before I post it on our blog. So in the meantime I will continue to write about our adventures over here, but it will be a few more days before I can share this story with you. Believe me, it will be worth the wait ;)

Biland

2008-05-26T17:50:00.014-04:00

There are no words to describe what happened to us on Sunday. It was easily the most surreal travel experience either of us has ever had. We left Kristiansand right after breakfast and headed out to explore Dave’s heritage, equipped with only a family tree that goes back to his great great grandparents and a loose understanding of the towns his ancestors lived in (Farsund, Lista, and Eitland). Farsund is a “kommune” which is basically like a county, as it contains many towns within it. Farsund is an area that would've never made it on to our itinerary had it not been a piece of Dave’s heritage. What a mistake that would’ve been. When we arrived in Farsund, we could barely keep our car on the road; mountains loomed tall all around us and plunged into crystalline waters that spanned as far as the eye could see. Of all the places we've seen in the world, this was easily one of the most exquisite.

In Lista, we stopped in the “Sentrum” (center of town) to use the bathrooms and get a kaffe (coffee) before beginning our search. Lista is a hip little waterfront town with tiny cottages tucked into the hillside and a harbor with sailboats and dozens of deserted islands off in the distance where the fjord empties into the North Sea. When we arrived most of the town was closed because it was Sunday, with the exception of a local bar. We took a chance and asked a group of older Norwegian men if they'd ever heard of Dave's distant cousin, a once-prominent Norwegian, Louis Jacobsen. One of the men, Olav, knew a fellow named Jan Jacobsen (in Norwegian the letter "j" is pronounced like a "y"...i.e. Yan Yacobsen) and offered to take us out to their house. Hoping that Jan was somehow a link to Dave's ancestors, we set off for what turned out to be one of the biggest adventures of our lives.

When we arrived at the Jacobsen's lakefront house, we learned that Jan had sailed to Denmark and wasn't home. Our hearts sank. But his wife graciously took a look at the family tree and recognized one of the names, Torlaif Borhaug. She made a few phone calls as we sat in anticipation. She spoke very little English, so Olav had to translate for us. Every time she said "nay" our hearts sunk further but finally we started hearing a string of "ya's" and grew hopeful. Olav explained that she had reached Torlaif's sister, Synnave, and again he offered to take us to her house. A short drive and we arrived at a quaint apartment building and were greeted by 83-year old, Synnave.

(photo: Synnave Maberg and Olav, the kind soul who made this whole adventure possible)

Again, Olav translated as we showed her the family tree. When we pointed out the names of Dave's great grandmother, Jenny Christiansen, we hit the jackpot. "Ya, tanta Jenny!" she exclaimed. It turns out that Dave's great grandmother, Jenny, was Synnave's aunt, making Synnave and Dave third cousins! As we pointed out the names of Jenny's parents, her smile grew wider in recognition...Kornelius and Otelia Eliasson (Dave's great great grandparents) were Synnave's grandparents! Then Synnave picked up the telephone and began chattering in Norwegian. Olav explained that she was calling one of her English-speaking cousins who lives close by and the next thing we knew, we were following Synnave to another relative's house.

We followed Synnave by car for about 15 minutes. We stopped at a great big white farmhouse, where she and her husband lived and raised their children. We continued along the road until the paved road ended and turned to a dirt road and raw Norwegian countryside. As we came up over the hillside, a panoramic view of the North Sea unfolded in front of us and literally took our breath away. Was this a dream?

A few minutes later we arrived at a simple little cottage with a splendid view of the North Sea. Inside, we were greeted by Oddny and Bjorn Reitkersen. It turns out that Oddny is also a third cousin of Dave's. We learned that she and Bjorn lived in New York for 14 years before moving back to Norway and starting their family. She actually worked at Barney's in Manhattan over 40 years ago! We showed her the family tree and she immediately recognized the names of Dave's great aunts and uncles, as well as his great grandparents and his great great grandparents. To top it all off, she pulled out a family tree that her son, Lars, had created many years ago. He worked on it for three years and has the names of all the people and the towns where they lived dating all the way back to the 1600s!!

(Bjorn showing Dave the family tree dating back to the 1600s)

(Dave with his newly-discovered cousins Synnave Maberg, left, and Oddny Reitkersen, middle.)

We didn't think our luck could get any better until Oddny told us that they could take us to Biland (pronounced "Beelan"), the house that was owned by Dave's great great grandparents, the home where his great grandmother, Jenny, was born. They warned us that we could only drive so far and that we'd have to hike the rest of the way because the conditions of the road are so poor. At this point, the sky had clouded over and it was pouring rain outside but everyone agreed that this was something we just had to see. So we put on some rain gear and drove out to the little town of Vanse and up a tiny dirt road toward Biland. We drove as far up the hillside as possible and then we hiked about a mile up a steep dirt driveway. The rain was pouring down on us, challenging us every step of the way but the fire in our hearts burned on and kept us pushing forward. And then the most unexpected thing of all happened. We reached the top of the mountain and in the clearing we saw the most charming little home you could ever imagine sitting right at the mouth of a fjord with the best view in Norway. We stood there in disbelief, looking out at the endless body of water and the mountain ranges that Dave's great grandmother grew up looking at. And with that the rain stopped and the blue skies descended upon us, like Jenny welcoming us to her home.

(Biland, the house where Dave's great grandmother, Jenny, was born)

(The view from the Biland house is simply spectacular)

Neilson's Corner

2008-05-25T05:13:00.002-04:00

The white building behind us is where my ancestors lived generations ago. It's now a storefront on the bottom and apartments up top, but in its day was a beautiful single family home known as "Nielsen's Corner."

Grimstad

2008-05-25T04:29:00.007-04:00

Yesterday's drive through the Norwegian countryside was filled with some of the most breathtaking sights we've ever seen. Evergreens cover the mountains and span as far as the eye can see. Sparkling lakes greeted us every turn and inspired dreams of having a summer cottage on the lake.

(photo: Grimstad)

My ancestors are from the adorable little town of Grimstad, on the southeast coast of Norway. My great, great, great grandfather, Captain Christian Paulsen, came to America during the gold rush and struck gold. He brought his fortune back to Grimstad and built a huge shipbuilding yard (seen below).

(These three buildings, dating back to the 1800s, make up the shipyard).

Off we go...

2008-05-24T02:01:00.002-04:00

After three fabulous days in Oslo, we're setting off for Grimstad and Kristiansand today. Not sure when I'll have Internet access again, but stay tuned for more...

Ski Museum

2008-05-24T01:40:00.005-04:00

Holmenkollen also has a ski museum that recounts the 3,000 year history of skiing. When we got to the display of antique wooden skis, Dad pointed to the tiniest pair and told us that they were like the little wooden skiis he learned on, leather strap bindings and all. No wonder he's such a good skier today. Can you imagine trying to maneuver those things?

Holmenkollen

2008-05-24T01:23:00.004-04:00

After Munch and lunch, we took a short train ride through the countryside to Holmenkollen, which is home to the world-famous ski jump and former site of the winter Olympics. No picture can do justice to this unbelievable structure. We climbed all way to the top and peered out over the edge to see what the skiers see before they take off. From the top you can see all the way out to the Oslo fjord in one direction and the peaks of snow-capped mountains in the other. The shoot and the landing hill below are so steep that you cannot even see where the skiers land. What's even crazier is that the skiers fly off the jump head first and maintain a position that's horizontal to the earth (nose to your ski tips) going 130 km/hour. We asked Dad if he would try it for a million bucks. Nope.

Getting our Munch on

2008-05-24T01:14:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was another full day of sightseeing, good food, and laughter. As Cheryl put it, "we got our Munch on" at the Munch museum, which displays the works of famous painter, Edvard Munch. One of his most famous works, The Scream, along with The Madonna, were stolen right off the walls in 2004. They were recovered in 2006 and restored by the museum. Sadly, they had been mistreated during the two years they were gone, especially The Scream, which now has visible scratches and a water stain in the lower left corner.

Real estate

2008-05-24T01:10:00.002-04:00

The real estate here is charming. Most of the houses have wainscoating exteriors and black tile roofs to absorb the heat from the sun.

The Kroner

2008-05-23T03:04:00.002-04:00

The Norwegian currency is called 'the Kroner.' Here is a picture of 5 Kroner, which is equivalent to about USD 1.25. Unfortunately, 5 Kroner doesn't buy much of anything...a cup of coffee costs 20 Kroner and a gyro costs 60.

The beers of Norway

2008-05-23T02:59:00.003-04:00

To fully explore any culture one must taste the native beer. The two Norwegian beers we've tried so far are Frydenlund and Ringnes. Interestingly enough, they serve their beers in glasses with the name of the beer on the front and diagrams on the back that measure each beer's sweetness, fruitiness, and bitterness. They obviously take their beer VERY seriously!

Norwegian Museum of Cultural History

2008-05-23T02:47:00.004-04:00

This museum took us by surprise. At first we weren't even going to go, but at the last minute we decided to stop in and were pleasantly surprised. We toured the outdoor portion of the museum, which featured a restored town with little shops, tiny homes, and an apothecary, where travelers could find a drink in Norway's "dry" days.

Another section of the museum featured dozens of tiny wooden farm houses that had been relocated here from Telemark. Inside there were no more than two rooms. Wood burning stoves provided heat and tiny beds, not much bigger than a twin, slept an entire family. We also found a little farm with a charming pony, who we adopted and named, Gretchen.

Viking Ship Museum

2008-05-23T02:45:00.001-04:00

The Norwegian Ship Museum featured enormous wooden boats that were sailed by Viking Chieftans and required 30+ oarsmen. My favorite boat was the Oseberg - you might recognize it from that popular credit card commercial where the father and son go to Norway to explore their heritage. This magnificent boat was built in 820 AD and after sailing for about fifteen years, it was used as a burial ship for the Queen of Oseberg. She was buried with her life’s belongings, including jewels, clothing, food, and even her slave girl, as the culture of that time believed that those items were needed for the journey to the grave. The ship was then buried deep in the ground in and covered in clay, forming “burial mounds.” These boats were discovered hundreds of years later with many of the artifacts still intact. The restoration of this nearly 1,200 year-old ship was absolutely remarkable.

Kon-Tiki

2008-05-23T02:38:00.004-04:00

"Borders? I have never seen one. But I have heard they exist in the minds of some people." - Thor Heyerdahl

Then we strolled over to the Kon-Tiki museum where we learned about the great Norwegian scientist and explorer, Thor Heyerdahl. Some of his life’s greatest accomplishments included building boats out of papyrus and successfully sailing them across major oceans to prove that the New World was likely influenced by contact from the Old World. He proved this by sailing his Ra 2 boat from Morocco to Barbados and later, he sailed Kon-Tiki, which was a raft made of balsa leaves, from Peru to Polynesia using nothing more than the wind and the ocean currents. He also did a lot of work to raise awareness about the increasing pollution levels he was witnessing in the oceans and went on to win an Oscar for his documentary on the Kon-Tiki expedition. We all shook our heads in utter disbelief to think that a crew of men survived 101 days on the ocean on such anemic looking water crafts.

FRAM

2008-05-23T02:33:00.000-04:00

Next, we walked down to the pier and took a ferry to the other side of the harbor where a number of interesting museums are located. A quick peek in the FRAM museum to see the strongest wooden boat in the world, FRAM. Built in the late 1800’s, it has sailed further north and further south than any other boat of its kind.

Back to Akershus Fortress

2008-05-23T02:28:00.002-04:00

Our bags finally arrived by 11am on Thursday morning and by 11:30 we were on our way. Our first stop was a trip back to the Akershus Fortress. This time it was open to public, so we took a tour of the inside, admiring the chapel, the dungeons, and many grand rooms for social gatherings and government affairs. Compared to the castles we’ve seen in England and Italy, the décor in Akershus is minimal, much like the rest of the culture; no flashy jewels or overabundance of gold, just simple, unassuming beauty.

Luggage

2008-05-23T02:27:00.000-04:00

“Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.” - Charles Dudley Warner

Thursday began with a good dose of irony. After breakfast, we waited around the hotel for two hours for the courier to deliver our luggage from the airport. While we were waiting, a family came tramping through the lobby far too early to check in to their room. As they passed by on their way to the restaurant, we heard the mother say under her breath that she couldn’t wait to get rid of their bags. “We’ll take them,” my Dad said, immediately noting the irony of our situations. I suppose a hotel room is no good without your luggage and luggage is no good without a hotel room to store it in.

The Resistance

2008-05-22T03:56:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, we stopped at a fortress perched at the top of the Oslo fjord (Akershaus). This fortress was used to defend Norway against the German invasion in 1940. Unfortunately, the Germans were successful in their efforts and occupied Norway from 1940-1945. It's hard to imagine that this lovely building, with its breathtaking views, was once a place of such turmoil.

(Funny story...as we were walking up to the fortress we were talking about The Resistance and Jackie asked if Norway won. We all laughed. Then she scrunched up her nose and with a look of perplexion, added, 'Well, what I meant was, were they successful in...resisting?')

Downtown Oslo

2008-05-22T03:48:00.004-04:00

Spent yesterday afternoon exploring downtown Oslo. The weather here is in the upper 50s and comfortable for lots of walking. Our first meal was at a little Greek restaurant and then we had dinner at a Thai place. No Norwegian food yet but we're heading down to the Oslo fjord tonight for dinner on the water.

Days of the week

2008-05-22T03:36:00.002-04:00

This is a sign I found in a local bank here...thought you might like to see the Norwegian names of the days of the week. Mandag (Monday) is named after the moon, Tirsdag (Tuesday) is named after 'Tyr' the godess of love, Onsdag (Wednesday) is named after 'Odin' the god war, Torsdag (Thursday) is named after 'Thor' the god of thunder, and Fredag (Friday) is named after 'Freyya' the goddess of beauty. Not sure about Saturday or Sunday...I'll have to get back to you on that ;)

Signs

2008-05-21T12:44:00.009-04:00

Normally before a trip abroad, I spend some time learning the basics of the language. Hello, thank you, check please, etc. French, Spanish, Italian...they're similar in so many ways, but Norwegian is next to impossible. Not only do the words not have any Latin roots that make them easily identifiable, in many cases two, three, even four words are strung together into one! As you can imagine from the pictures above, we're having a ton of fun trying to pronounce them.

The airport...

2008-05-21T12:41:00.002-04:00

The Oslo airport looks like Ikea...hard wood floors (and ceilings) the color of warm honey and stainless steel accents.

Getting here...

2008-05-21T12:36:00.002-04:00

Chapter 1: Have to be at Dad’s house by 11:30am. Dave’s emergency trip to the doctor’s office adds a little extra excitement to our already jammed schedule. Turns out sitting through a cold, windy, rainy graduation ceremony is NOT the way to treat a cold. Luckily, Dave is okay…no ear infection, no strep.

Chapter 2: Jackie forgot her passport. Luckily we were only at the Princeton train station when she discovered it, so Dad was able to sprint home (in the pouring rain) and grab it.

Chapter 3: Accidentally, insulted fellow traveler on the monorail to our terminal talking about Dave’s experience with the staff at the doctors’ office. The group’s conclusion: doctors’ office staff are (for the most part) unhappy and mean. Fellow traveler’s wife is a doctor. Luckily though, he claimed her staff is a nice bunch.

Chapter 4: The plane’s right filange is broken and after two hours of waiting, we have to wait an hour and a half more for the crew to fix it. At first they give us the option to de-plane but we stay on-board, having snatched a comfortable empty row. Then, they announce that they’ve changed their minds and they want everyone off. Dad jumps into action and gets all six of us rebooked on a different flight – a direct flight, better yet!

Chapter 5: Our new plane doesn’t even have a filange! That’s right. After packing up all of our stuff and lugging them on to a new flight, we learn that our new plane has some sort of mechanical problem too. What is with these planes?! We sit on the tarmac for over an hour as they drill something down below and then r’off (family slang for “we’re off”).

Chapter 6: We recount all of our memorable moments so far and decide that this is truly is going to be a great vacation!

Chapter 7: Our luggage is lost.

To travel...

2008-05-20T20:39:00.005-04:00

“Travel is the perfect liberty to think, feel, do just as one pleases.” -William Hazlitt

In the months leading up to this trip, Dave and I were acutely aware of our need to just...wander. In every sense of the word. To clear our minds and let our thoughts journey where they may. To free ourselves of schedules and daily demands, to be spontaneous and carefree. To soul search. To reflect. To go where the wind blows us.

Journeys

2008-05-20T20:37:00.001-04:00

A trip to Norway has inspired this blog but has also made me realize that I don't have to travel 3,809 to have a journey; everyday is a journey. So, this blog is dedicated to all the journeys, big and small, that make up my life...as well as my trip to Norway.