We missed the tour last year but no way we were skipping out this year. We look forward to meeting up with our “sporty” friends each year for driving around the best country roads and seeing the gorgeous Fall scenery.  This year, the tour was in the Hudson Valley region of New York.

We were going to see the Aerodrome museum and the Air show in Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.  The focus was on the history of flight from 1909 through 1939 featuring  performances of early World War 1 biplanes.  But first – arrival reception…

Our accommodations would be the Hudson Valley Resort and Spa.  Based on the scenery leading to the resort, both Ted and I expected a cobblestone style mansion resort.  Instead, the building seemed austere in style compared to the rest of the area . 

The lobby was expansive and welcoming (I think the welcoming part had something to do with the bar visible at one end of the room).

We were checked in immediately and situation in our room on the 6th floor.  There was a nice view of the area but one problem,

the concave bed.  I swear that is not my photographic “prowess” you’re looking at, that’s the “dippy” bed.  It wasn’t going to be the good nights sleep I was looking forward to after starting my day with a 17 mile run at 4 am.

As usual with the Fall tours, the meet and greet reception began at 5:30pm with a lot of receiving hugs, catching up conversations, homemade munchies, beer and box wine.

As much fun as socializing was, Ted and I were starving for a nice sit down dinner.  We retired to the hotel restaurant called appropriately, “The View”.

We ate…

we went to our room and were asleep in our geometrically challenged bed by 8:30 pm.  Party poopers? You might say that.

The Fall Red Baron Tour – all the fun was to be had on Saturday at Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. 

We took the scenic route to the museum (crossing the Hudson)

and assembled for group photos on the lawn – not “people” photos but more importantly, group CAR photos.   After all, these mechanical classics were the reason we all get together.

We toured the museum and listened to our guide recite the history of the planes.

Next it was lunch on the lawn.  An hour later, the PCA group paraded along the air field to show off the cars.  We were the “opening act” for the air show.

Ted and I meandered to our seats, not knowing what to expect but were quite entertained for two hours while planes took to the air, doing flips, vertical assents and descents, flying through the air trying to rip through toilet paper thrown by the pilot,

and finally watching a “cops & robbers” act on the ground.

Planes were pushed in order to get them into position…

We were surprised they actually took to the air

The weather was perfect. The company was friendly and fun and the show was fantastic.

We stopped for happy our at The Tavern at Stone Ridge for a wonderful glass of Bin 98 Pinot Noir

The evening concluded with the celebration dinner, door prizes and a few speeches. So much fun!

That’s one more Red Baron Fall Tour under our belts.  Where to next year?!

The worst thing happened the other day. I’m always in a rush and I will never, EVER learn that bad things happen when I’m in a rush. 

I was taking a photo of wine

when the plaque you see behind those glasses suddenly scooted forward knocking the glasses off the shelf.  That would have been a minor catastrophe if I had been at our bar. 

But I was in the eating area where the NEW CARPET had been installed about a month ago. Oh yeah.  You guessed it.  All over the carpet.  Luckily there is a pattern and the pattern has wine colored flowers but still   .  Ted and I spent an hour scrubbing the carpet.

This little tale of woe brings me to the point of this blog:  A GIVEAWAY!  AN   A M A Z I N G   giveaway.   Everything you ever wanted for your bar area. Here is the link:  BAR FURNITURE   Don’t be fooled by the name. This site has everything, not just bar stools. 

They have offered you guys a $35.00 Promo Code off ANYTHING at the site.  Take a look.  The winner will be picked on Friday afternoon.   All you have to do is

1.  Visit the site.  BAR FURNITURE.

2.  Leave me a comment below simply stating that you found something you like on their site.

3.  For an extra opportunity to win, let someone else know about the giveaway and then come on back, leave another comment to tell me so.

Good Luck! 

Do you enjoy entertaining in your home?

It was a quiet Friday at work. Sue was off celebrating her birthday and the phones weren’t ringing.  It was, however a busy day for paperwork.  Who enjoys paperwork?  I have to take numerous breaks to get through the monotony of it.  It has to be done, simply overhead but a must. Ho Hum.

The one important link:  Sustainable Food – Sustainable Agriculture.  Buy local.  Here is the link on Examiner.

A movie review:   “Up In The Air” with George Clooney.  I just love that guy!  He is so real. So NOT Hollywood. 

A very enjoyable movie. The scenes were clean. The language was typical:  the occasional nasty swearing.   Seriously. Must they ALWAYS swear?   In my world, swearing very rarely exists.  I really don’t understand why it has to be included in our entertainment. 

In this movie, an organization flies it’s employees around the world to fire people for other organizations. Not a nice job at all.   Along comes a young, intelligent woman who has a brilliant idea to “E-Fire”.  Not popular with the executives who want to keep racking up the sky miles.   George Clooney’s character is told to show this woman the ropes.  This interferes somewhat with his usual stream-lined modus operandi. 

I always gage a movie based on whether both Ted and I stay awake to watch the entire film.  This one we both did.  It MUST be good

Some other ramblings….

I am getting back into cake decorating.  It has become my mission to embark on the more difficult cakes.  To help me with my task, I purchased this book:

Anyone familiar with it?   That’s a cake on the cover.  Cool! 

Friday foodie fun was as follows:

One of my all time favorite yogurts: FAGE.  There is a manufacturing facility in New York and I was hoping they would respond to an email I sent to them.  Haven’t heard anything yet.   I like the plain, fat free Greek yogurts the best.  I can then add my own fruit and nut blend for taste, flavor, texture, and crunch.

I had my lunch at work which was:

• 2/3 cup broccoli slaw
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 3 grape tomatoes
• 2 small radishes, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup brown rice
• 3 oz water packed tuna
• 2 1/2 TBS Newman’s Own Low fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

It must have been my walk with Shane this morning that upped the appetite.  We went out for one hour EXACTLY which resulted in 3.95 miles. 

The other night I up loaded Pandora on my iphone.  That’s for when I’m on the run without Shane.  I would hate to be rude to our boy by listening to music while he was loyally at my side. 

Anyone have Pandora?  Do you like it?

If every Sunday could be as nice as today, then Sunday would pull rank on Friday and become my favorite day of the week.  

Shane must have heard me tossing and turning and struggling trying to get back to sleep at 5:30 this morning.  He began the morning “ WHIIINNNE!  Who could sleep with that kind of music in the back ground?  That’s not really a question but in case you ARE wondering, Ted could.

Shane and I were out the door by 6 am.   I walked him to the soccer field off South Park Drive and we played a little Frisbee while walking around the field.  It was nice because the snow was hard so we were able to walk on top of it and not fall through.   

When we got home, Ted was up and about and had the cross country gear ready.  He actually waxed our skis!  Oh happy skis!  They haven’t had that kind of attention in over 10 years!  Skis, Shane, Ted, Joanne, all piled into the car to Hamilton College for some cross country skiing. 

It was a nice sunny 30 degrees. 

The trail was horrible. It was icy and hard and with our waxed skis, it was FAST!

In case you’re wondering why there is never a photo of me on my behind while skiing, it’s simply because I control the camera.

As you can see by the obvious tongue hanging, it was hard work out there on the trails today.  I bruised my shoulder and Ted picked up a few aches here an there as well.

That guy staring at you is the only one who made it home bruise and pain free.  Shane loves cross country skiing.

After all that work, we decided to stop at our favorite breakfast nook, Creekside Cafe in Washington Mills.   There menu covers every fit of fancy imaginable. 

First things first.  COFFEE!

Keep it coming!  I was having a major melt down because it was 8:40 by this time and I needed JAVA!

Both Ted and I had Giambrottes.  His was “Sam’s Special” which had sausage and potatoes with greens, sweet peppers, tomatoes with dry wheat toast.  Mine was the Veggie Giambrotte with spinach, greens, hot peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and feta with dry rye toast.

Great breakfast.

We made a quick stop at the grocery store for some things left off the cart from yesterday. That happens when Joanne misses shopping day and Ted fills in.  I did try to make a list but didn’t do a very good job of it. 

Once home, Shane hit the rug for a doggy nap. Ted packed up the trash to take to the disposal.  Joanne made Vegan Friendly Blue Cornmeal Whole Wheat Spice Muffins.  That recipe will be posted tomorrow.  By 2:15 pm, we had to get ready to go celebrate with the birthday girl!

Nancy, Happy Birthday!  

Nancy and Bob spent two days in Saratoga, NY in celebration of Nancy’s special birthday.  While they were there, a very odd thing happened.   Shane got in Nancy’s head and look what she brought back for him

BELLY RUBS!  Shane’s favorite!   These little cookies are adorable.  They are made with all organic ingredients and the flavor is “Pumpkin Ginger Spice”.  I think I might swipe one while Shane has his back turned and dunk it in my coffee.

Check out the name of the store the cookies came from:

What a perfect name!

Cheers to Nancy!  Cheers to cross country skiing with husband and dog! Cheers to truly delicious breakfasts!  Cheers to spending a wonderful Sunday with best friends while celebrating the best of friends birthday!  It’s Sundays like this that make every other day look weak.  Oh look at that!  Isn’t there an English term for that?  Weak…Week…?????

Hunter Mountain Arrival: No Snowboard yet.  The desk at the Kaatskill Mountain Club Resort

didn’t have our room ready and they wouldn’t allow us to get the rental passes until we checked in so, we were sent off to the Van Winkle lounge to indulge in the most wonderful glass of  Petite Syrah.

After sharing a glass of wine and checking once again on the room which STILL wasn’t ready, we ventured off to explore the ski/snowboard area.  Walking was treacherous since ice paved our way. 

We found the “staging” area where we would spend the better part of our day tomorrow.

The temperature was 27 degrees but people were sitting in reclining chairs outside the lodge soaking up the late day sun. I told Ted that I hoped to stay warm enough to appreciate that tomorrow. 

In the meantime, I found someone doing a method of snowboarding that I thought I might be able to handle:

Ted said “NO!”

Our biggest fear upon learning this sport is …

the dreaded lift!  

We checked out the beginner slopes

and then vowed that before we leave, we will make it to the top of something more challenging…see the right hand corner?   We’ll shoot for that!

After checking in at about 5:15 pm, we decided to drive down the road to find a restaurant.

In a small town called Tannersville, NY there is a cute cafe called “Last Chance CHEESE Antiques-Cafe”. 

See the note that is cut off in the photo?  Lower right corner?  “BEER – Over 300 imported & domestic varieties”.  No kidding.  I have never seen so many beer choices. I had to try one.  

There was virtually no beer taste in this ale what so ever.  It was as close to drinking cherry soda as one could get.  Needless to say, I made it through about 3/4 of a glass, leaving 2/3 of a bottle of Organic Fruit Ale unfinished.  The bottle was twice the size of Ted’s beer (Dos Equus). 

Dinner was good, not gourmet but it sure hit the spot for these two hungry, future snowboarding vacationers.

I had a photo of the stuffed sole but with the crab meat stuffing poking out, it reminded me of someone’s tongue sticking out at me. 

The girls at the table next to us ordered the s’mores for dessert.  The flame reached surprising height.  At one point a lady at the other end of the room yelled out “THAT’S MAKING ME NERVOUS”.   

The restaurant offered a little store area with all sorts of old style candy, nut, and chocolate favorites.

What a great experience. 

It’s time to watch the Pro-Bowl then settle in to get ready for a 30 minute run in the morning and a full day of snowboarding.  Stay tuned and here’s hoping that the photos tomorrow show Ted and I spending more time on our feet than on our behinds.