Bangkok Peanut or Yazoo Sue?

There is a theme to this post, from Columbus, Ohio.

Ice cream.  Having sampled a couple of flavours last evening, we were keen to add to the collection today, so to speak.

First, though, we decided to leave the car in the garage today and travel by bus: Free Public Bus in fact.  It stopped right outside our hotel and did a circuit of the city.  To begin with, we were going to head south, to the Topiary Garden.

We’d read of this before we came here, both in guidebooks and in a magazine article which included a list of must-sees for a weekend in Columbus. 

It wasn’t long before we got a clue of the tout ensemble.

Helpfully, there was a reproduction of the original picture too, so we could compare.

So there you are.  Off you go.  Compare!

The excitement was all too much, so spotting a kind of Shake Shack as we crossed Columbus Commons, then noticing it was an outpost of Jenis we just had to join the queue.  Buckeye and Salty Caramel for me this time!

Delicious.

Our next stop on the bus was German Village, just south of the city centre.  Settled by Germans in the first half of the 19th century, most of the village had fallen into disrepair until a man with vision had begun the restoration and preservation of the area from the 1960s onwards.

Now, the houses are charming; this one in particular had a beautiful verandah with comfortable cushions which matched the flowers in the planters perfectly.

There was also a fantastic bookshop, which filled the whole of this building – and that really is, the WHOLE of the building.  There was room after room to explore and just as I feared I was never going to find my way out again I spotted I was in the self help department and the book facing me on the shelf was “Paint your way out of a corner” !

This title amused me rather.

Thumbing through this book, I came across a page about John Fluevog and thought immediately of our friend Nadine in Montreal.  She’s not been too well lately, so we sent warm thoughts through the ether.

Back on the bus then and into the city centre for a walk along the river.

It was lunchtime, so people from the neighbouring offices were out enjoying the fresh air along by the River Scioto, where restoration was underway to create a pleasant new riverside walk.

As we walked along the pathway, we spotted something.

The middle seat of each group of three was a swing!  Needless to say, these were very popular and as we reached the next group, inevitably someone was settled on it, swinging. 

But I wanted to sit on a swing!

It took some time but eventually we found an empty one and you know what happened next?

Photo shoot and fifteen minutes of gentle swinging in the breeze, feeling relaxed and wondering if anyone was going to bring us a nice, cool drink?

They didn’t.  But it was fun!

As we caught the bus back, someone was hoisting his bike on the front – this is a great service!  We spotted Whit’s Custards just as we got off, though: a Root beer float and a vanilla malt, please – well, maybe we’ll return to Jenis for dessert this evening?!

Sure enough, we finished the day in the same way as last evening – I chose Salty Caramel and Yazoo Sue with Rosemary and Bar Nuts tonight.

Jenis, we look forward to the next time!

From the Presidential Suite

We joke from time to time about our stay in Rapid City, where we checked into the Hampton Garden Inn so late that the only room left was the “Presidential Suite”.  This evening, checking into the Hampton Inn, Columbus, we made our way to our room and found the nameplate “Presidential Suite” by the door!  Lo and behold, our suite is e-n-o-r-m-o-u-s and we could have a party in the shower!  But what gives the game away is that Mary’s room is immediately beneath ours and, guess what?  There’s a nameplate by her door that states “Presidential Suite” as well.  I suppose “Vice President Suite”  wouldn’t give the right impression   Still, it’s good to know that when the Obamas are in town, the Hampton Inn is ready and waiting for them.

We set out from Cleveland heading for Columbus this morning, driving through endless suburbs and wondering when, if ever, we were going to reach the open green Ohio landscape we imagined.

Eventually, there it was, but it took some finding and it didn’t last long.  Once again, we stuck with the ordinary roads, keeping off the interstate and looking for interest in the small towns and villages along the way.  We drove through more Amish communities, past a few Mennonite homes with bible passages by the front gate and bonneted women tending the vegetable patch.

But we were never far away from industry and of course, there’s a fair bit of agribusiness to support all those farms too.  That bit wasn’t so pretty.

So we focused on the parts we liked!

Soon we were in Central Ohio, right bang slap in the middle when we passed through Centerburg, in fact.  Not far to Columbus now, and a rather different destination than we’d usually include on a road trip.  But recently, I’ve been a woman on a mission – to buy a new sewing machine – and I had some research I wanted to do.

Beth’s Creative Stitchery is the kind of place I wish was just down the road from me at home.  Sadly, it isn’t, so arriving unannounced this afternoon, how lucky I was that not only was the machine right there in the store, but Sharon was also there, ready and able to answer all my questions.  I was able to sit and try the machine, to explore the controls and to ask as many questions as I could think of.

Oh my goodness, I wanted to pack it up and bring it home with me!  Sadly, I’ll have to wait; to save up even and make one or two decisions once I’m home.  I wish I could bring Sharon home too, though!

With a couple of hours left this afternoon, there was time to squeeze in a visit to the Ohio Statehouse, downtown Columbus.  We found a parking space in the underground car park and took the lift straight up to the basement entrance.

A series of lifts and staircases made what ought to have been a simple self guided tour very challenging!

Still, we saw the Senate House – nothing happening there this afternoon, sadly.

The House of Representatives was quiet too.

I wonder which Congressman chooses to have a model of Superman on his desk?  This was the only personal item in the room- every other desk was identical, impersonal.

The public areas were elegant if sparsely furnished, with virtually no artwork on the walls at all beyond a couple of large oil paintings in the lobby.

The dome featured a stained glass roundel identical to that in the museum.  There was also something strange about that dome which was only revealed later.

That same stained glass panel is here – about six feet in diameter, it was hard to imagine that small central dot so high above us featured all that detail!

Even stranger was, as we drove past on our way to the hotel, we saw that there was no dome at all!  Isn’t that odd?

This evening, we’ve been out to supper and enjoyed two Columbus recommendations: Betty’s and Jenis Splendid Ice Cream.  All three of us are sitting here feeling utterly stuffed!

It’s only Rock’n’Roll (but I like it)

Our plan for today was simple: visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Though we had an appointment at 4pm on our schedule, we were feeling relaxed about the rest of the day.  Just as well, because once we’d stepped inside and heard the music, we didn’t want to go anywhere else!

There has been a mixed response to our decision to visit Cleveland on our Road Trip, but mostly, it’s been a slightly mystified “but why?”  Well, if anyone needs a reason, then let it be “The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”! It’s all part of a major lakefront redevelopment – the Science Center and a huge stadium project is right next door.

Anyway, with tickets purchased and guides in hand, we couldn’t wait to get started.

The first displays told the story of how rock and roll grew out of humble beginnings.  There were mementos of early blues and gospel singers, rockabilly and bluegrass, each one accompanied by a video presentation with soundtrack coming from overhead speakers.  Just as our toes began tapping and we were getting into the groove, a horde of small children from a summer camp descended on the place and the general hubbub and noise was enough to make listening impossible.

We let them steam on through and then resumed our visit.

By this time we were getting into familiar territory – for dare I say, till this point, it was all before my time?  But now we were talking – Beatles, Herman’s Hermits and The Hollies – oh yes, we knew all the words!

The story continued, through Motown, Flower Power, Punk, Rap and Heavy Metal.  A few items stood out like these handwritten lyrics to The Boxer (one of the tunes which always plays in my head when I’m in New York City) but really, there were so many small things to see, to wonder about and to prompt lots of memories.

And all the time, the music was playing and we were humming, singing and loving it all, because it was aimed at people just like us; our vintage, in fact.

I mean, David Bowie?  Look at that suit from 1972!   Nicely shaped, eh?

I’d feared the Motown stars would not feature here, since Detroit has a Hall of Fame too, but thankfully, there they were, the Supremes.  The mannequins were perfectly posed and couldn’t really have been mistaken for anyone else, don’t you agree? 

At the end of this section, sure enough, there he was.  The one all those little kids had been looking for – though I’m not sure any of them would have spotted him – or his glove.

Right here was a huge screen, playing live concert performances and we happily stopped and listened for a while – James Taylor is on screen here, singing Fire and Rain – and one after another memorable performance followed, making it very difficult indeed to move on.

But just around the corner was The Beatles exhibit…and the Rolling Stones…and we simply had to stop and listen to them too.  I loved the Beatles in particular and we happened upon that show at just the right spot – halfway through “With the Beatles” LP and I was sucked right back into the 1960s.

So it went.  Into a theatre to watch clips from 50 years of American Bandstand, which wasn’t at all familiar to us but which featured people like Aha, ABBA, Bryan Adams, Lionel Richie, The Righteous Brothers, Joni Mitchell and – ermmm – Sheena Easton?!  Around the corner was another theatre with clips of all the Hall of Fame inductees – Martha and the Vandellas, the Mamas and the Papas, Queen, Earth Wind and Fire, Donna Summer, Pink Floyd, Blondie…and so many others.

We could have stayed and watched it all over again.  We loved every minute!

With all of that wonderful music going around and around in our heads, we returned downtown buzzing!  Our goal was the central tower in the group of skyscrapers there, which my Hero identified as Terminal Tower – formerly Cleveland Union Terminal; the former railroad station.

Sadly, trains no longer arrive and depart from this marvellous building. 

There are shops, restaurants and an hotel where the platforms used to be.

Though there’s still the odd reminder of former glories.

The ceiling is magnificent, too.

In the middle of Public Square, right outside Terminal Tower, is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument - a memorial to veterans of the Civil War  – very grand, it is, too.  We were on our way to one of the other grand buildings in the group on Superior Avenue: Mary had secured us an appointment for a tour of the Cleveland Public Library.

The Cleveland Public Library is quite an awe-inspiring building both inside and out.  Inside, the carpets reflect the pattern and colour of the ceiling and there are murals and reading desks in keeping with the architecture.

The painted ceiling in the entrance hall was finely painted in a rather delicate design, too.  This was in stark contrast to the decor and architecture in the newer, modern extension though:

Our visit had been a cool respite from the heat and humidity which had been building outside.  Thankfully, we had only a couple of blocks to walk to our hotel and we hoped the rain would hold off long enough for us to get back in the dry.

I couldn’t resist taking a couple of pictures of Tom Otterness’ figures, though.

Remember them from the NYC Subway, too?

We did manage to get back in the dry, though when we stepped outside to go for dinner, there were heavy spots of rain falling.  With our raingear in the car, parked some distance away, I returned to the reception desk to ask if, by any chance, they had an umbrella I could borrow.  Sadly, the one which had been there was already gone, but Liz, the receptionist offered me her own umbrella to use.  I turned to the chap standing behind me in the queue and remarked that this was really beyond the call of duty and incredibly generous of her.

“You’re in the Mid-West”, he said.

Indeed, and how pleased we are to be here, too.

Rich and varied days

One of the joys of a road trip!

We left Buffalo this morning, bidding the City Hall farewell and taking the chance to snap a last picture with the light in a better direction than previously.  Isn’t it magnificent?

We left the city on our favourite US20, heading out through the suburbs and out along the Lake Erie shore.

Our first stop was one of those places which we’ve read about and yet, had no idea what to expect.  The Kazoo Company in Eden, NY has been making them since they were invented and our visit was fun and also rather interesting.  It’s a small place with maybe 15 – 20 employees, mostly people with some learning disability, as the two women who run the gift shop explained.

Half an hour later, having watched the process of manufacture, learned a little of the history and how to play the kazoo, we left with our purchases (Oh yes!) and continued on our way.

Feel free to report this driver who was on his phone for the several miles he was in front of us, texting or facetiming, but certainly not concentrating fully on his driving.  He was one of several drivers we noticed today; thankfully spotting them in time to keep well out of their way.

The wide open dairy farming landscape changed as we headed west, into the wine growing region of NY state.  We passed acres of vineyards and small wineries offering tastings.  No, we weren’t tempted – we had too far to travel.

Our next stop was Jamestown; a clue to the main reason for our stopping here is in the picture above (though I am too young to recognise it, too )

It was the birthplace and home of Lucille Ball and the town has many references to her as well as a small museum and visitor centre, which we enjoyed.  It’s here where the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Fest takes place and where annual conventions involve hordes of lookie likies.

In taking a photograph of the mural way down the street, I also captured the Erie Railroad bridge for my Hero – though I think he found better images on the internet (hardly surprising).

Onward then, through Chataqua County, home to the Chataqua adult education movement, which, I learned, was a system of travelling lecturers, bringing knowledge and performance to people living in rural America in the late 19th and early 20th century. 

We crossed the state line and drove into Pennsylvania, past signs alerting us to Amish buggies on the road, though there were none to be seen today.

A little further, our next stop appeared on the signpost.  We had Conneaut on our map, and knowing it to be just inside Ohio, I got my camera at the ready to snatch a shot of the sign.

I know.

The White Turkey Drive In was our reason for stopping.  Thankfully, not too busy, we pulled up and stepped out onto Ohio ground for the first time – kerching!!  My 35th state, I believe?

Someone’s Root Beer Float was a little larger than he imagined, but was declared one of the best!

With the afternoon half gone, we took the Interstate for the last part of our journey to make it to Cleveland in reasonable time.  Another grand city awaits our exploration and we have plans for tomorrow which include a similarly rich variety of experiences to look forward to.

I’m also thankful to report that I found a note on our bed when we arrived.

Oh Canada! Oh Frank! Oh Heck!

We began the day with a series of bridges, gantries, tolls and suchlike, because our plan was to visit Niagara Falls, and we felt the best viewing place was over the border in Canada.

It’s not actually that far and with passports, EESTA forms, proof of our return flights home and anything else an Immigration Officer might request to see, we negotiated our way through it all.

Just when we thought we’d made it, there was yet another set of signs and choices to be made.  Not to mention a grumpy Canadian Immigration Officer who wanted to know the answers to several questions including why we were here, why we visit the USA so often, when we were going home and had we any firearms or alcohol with us?

At last.  We were in Canada.

We weren’t interested in all the hokum and tacky stuff downtown, like Ripley’s Believe it or Not and Louis Tussauds Waxworks – we just wanted to see the falls.  So, parking the car in a convenient if pricey place just across the road from the water, we got out our cameras and off we went.  The American Falls were looking lovely.

Right on cue, the Maid of the Mist chugged past and we all agreed, we really didn’t want to get wet.  We’d view the falls from terra firma, thank you.

A little further along the pathway, the Horseshoe Falls came into view.  There were quite a few people here already, though at least on this Monday morning we could easily find space to take our pictures.

We went a little further along the pathway, getting a bit closer to the falls, though by now were all reaching the conclusion that we’d more or less seen what we had come to see, however breathtakingly spectacular it is.

We were all very pleased we’d decided to stay dry!

 

Though, even here, we were getting a bit damp!  Perhaps it was time to return to the car?

Just before we do, we’ll take a quick look at the nightmare hotel where we stayed on our last visit here – the white tower in the centre of the photo.  Though I was blogging in August 2006, I didn’t make any mention of our visit to Niagara, nor did I mention the scary fire alarm when we were on the 31st floor of that tower.  It is, however, one of my most read reviews on Trip Advisor!

We jumped in the car and headed back to the bridge.

The traffic was moving s-l-o-w-l-y, as the immigration process was taking time.  At one point, those in the front of the car were in the USA and my mobile art studio was still in Canada!

Over by the Maid of the Mist jetty and viewing platform, we could see that there could well be some interesting views from the American side.  Should we go and see?

Well, this was taking such an age, perhaps it’d be better to simply press on and see something else on our wishlist?  First though, we had to run the gauntlet of the snarky US immigration guy, determined as he was to belittle us before allowing us a grudging re-entry.

We took refuge in a fast food restaurant and ate lunch with a fascinating show going on outside, as a woman look a liking to a pile of carpet remnants on the pavement.  Reinforcements were soon on hand and others decided they’d like a piece of the carpet, too.

We needed to move to a more worthwhile location and thankfully, one such place was within a couple of miles.  Frank Lloyd Wright had designed and built this house for Darwin Martin and his family and before we’d even set foot on the site we were happy!

It’s said to be the finest example of his Prairie designs and the more we saw, the more we loved it.  The planting was exquisite, the details stunning – as in any FLW structure, every tiny detail had been considered and perfectly resolved.

Sadly, no photographs inside the house so the pictures on the website will have to do!

Rather than return to the hotel and go out to supper later, this evening we decided to drop by the Anchor Bar for some original Buffalo Wings on the way back.

The menu was extensive but of course, we ordered buffalo wings – and Anchor home fries, and some boneless chicken wings  for me, who doesn’t particularly like gnawing on skin and bones!

The trouble is, the portions are so huge that even when we’d finished, we’d hardly left our mark on those plates.

Oh heck!