Travel Tales

Beef bonanza at {B}urtons

Boston Boylston St. bistro is a four-bagger

The atmosphere is near perfect at Burtons Grill, two blocks from Fenway Park. The bar on left encourages social networking, and the over 200 seat dining areas are broken up into bite-sized nooks and crannies.

Fenway's newest watering hole is a Big League winner

By Walter and Patricia Brooks

For starters we shared the Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps -
shrimp, baby corn, water chestnuts, carrots, celery, snap peas, red onion and cilantro, in a sweet and spicy sauce and nestled in lettuce cups, topped with crispy rice noodles, $10.95, and the Philly Spring Rolls - tender diced sirloin, onions, provolone, American cheese, hand wrapped and fried, served with onion rings and a zesty dipping sauce, $9.95.

And then we split a Wedge Salad - iceberg lettuce & beefsteak tomatoes topped with roquefort dressing, red onions, applewood bacon & blue cheese. That's a half portion above.

But it was until we got to the Filet Mignon,- 9 oz. aged angus beef, seasoned and grilled, served with worcestershire herb butter {medium well & well done filets are served as two medallions} that we were in carnivore paradise, $32.95.

Burtons version of the florida classic Key Lime Pie, two creamy layers surrounded by a granola crust and topped with fresh whipped cream and the best Passion Fruit Sorbet ever.

We came back for Sunday Brunch for the succulent Burton Burger, $12.95, with applewood smoked bacon, sauteed mushrooms, onions and cheese and the Chicken over Risotto.

On a corner of Boylston Street, an infield fly distance from Fenway Park, the latest addition to the Burtons Grill group scores runs for atmosphere, food and beverages.

The wine list is deep, the menu a hit and the prices Little League in a town of Big League priced eateries.

Last weekend we reviewed {B}urtons Grill twice, for dinner and Sunday Brunch.

{D}inner

When we do restaurant reviews it's always a double play - my wife and I "double-team" and we each order different dishes for every course and share each one to be able to report on twice as many selections in half the time.

Since my Cape Codder wife is a fish fancier, I usually get the lion's share of the carnivore half of each menu.

But not at {B}urtons.

After I offered her the required one bite of my Filet Mignon, she insisted we change plates saying "this is the best filet I've ever tasted."

I mean, this women never eats beef, but she said Burtons' steak and the Half-Pound Bacon, Cheeseburger she had at brunch on our next visit, were "melt in your mouth" great.

But vying for our attention was the biggest roasted Sweet Potato we ever saw, and it  was swimming with buttery, brown sugar. The photo on the right will give you an idea of its size as it snuggles next to a 9 ounce Filet Mignon.

The Encrusted Haddock she ordered (but I ate) was excellent as well, but General Manager Bridget Kelly explained that not only was the filet cut the best available, the secret was Worcester Butter melted atop as it was broiled.

{A}ppie attitude

Forgive the entrée enthusiasm - the starters were equally exciting and the perfect starting line-up for the hungry Fenway fanatic in season or off.

Read these eclectic options like the
Thai Shrimp Lettace Wrap and the Philly Spring Rolls on right plus Grilled Stuffed Zucchini with herb cheese, baked together with zesty tomato sauce and reggiano parmesan, Fried Calamari in a buttermilk batter and served with Burtons tartar sauce, Pan Seared Scallops over fresh creamed corn with applewood smoked bacon, red peppers and a touch of jalapeno and Risotto Fritters of mild Italian sausage & imported Provolone cheese covered with panko-crusted risotto and deep fried, served with a zesty tomato sauce just to name a few.

{S}alad days

Because the portions are large, we shared the Wedge Salad swimming in an excellent Roquefort dressing with red onions, applewood bacon and blue cheese over Iceberg lettuce & beefsteak tomatoes.

{E}ntreés

The beef dishes were great, but so was the seafood like the bronzed Scarlett Snapper of gulf water snapper seared with a moderate amount of Cajun-style seasonings, served over Jasmine rice with shrimp and a red pepper-bourbon cream sauce and the Haddock Imperial of local day boat haddock topped with lump crabmeat stuffing and finished with a lemon thyme butter.

Just {D}esserts

And we are embarrassed to admit we found room for the house special, Key Lime Pie - Burtons version of the florida classic made of two creamy layers surrounded by a granola crust and topped with fresh whipped cream and a half dozen others sweet endings including a Passion Fruit Sorbet of regal quality.

There are two other {B}urtons Grills in Massachusetts in Hingham and in North Andover.

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The 21st Century rebirth of a great restaurant

The Langham's Bond is as good as its word

The redecorated room stuns the visitor with its vaulted ceiling and enormous reproductions of US Treasury notes. The one shown features Alexander Hamilton, America's first treasury secretary for George Washington and founder of the New York Post in 1801, the longest continuously published daily newspaper in America.

What Recession? Bond was standing room only

My wife began with the Foie Gras "au Torchon" with Black Cypress Salt, Candy Apple and Cracked Pepper Brioche - $16.

I started with a wonderful House Smoked Applewood Salmon and American Caviar with White Corn Meal Blini, Sour Cream and Chive - $12.

My second starter was Chicken Empanadas Chilean Style with Salsa and Cumin Cream - $12, while Pat's second was...

Crispy Asian Lobster, Crab and Shrimp Rolls with a Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce - $16.

By Walter and Patricia Brooks

We have to admit that it was with some trepidation that we returned to what was until a month ago the Julien at the Langham hotel in Boston's financial district, but which has morphed into Bond.

For a generation, the Julien was once considered one of the fifty best restaurants in America, and we, like throngs of other New Englanders, had fond memories of its cuisine, its famous Sunday Brunch and its breathtaking architecture.

My wife listes Julien's foie gras as one of the courses on her last meal list should she ever be on death row, so it was a relief to see it still offered at Bond, and for less money, $16.

But we'll keep you in suspense no longer - The room, now renamed Bond for the US Treasury notes once traded on this spot when it was the site of America's first Federal Reserve Bank, make the cut, and does so with 21st century panache.

Recession-proof dining in Boston

This is Boston  where couples are used to spending well over $150 for dinner in the best restaurants, yet Bond's prices are recession sensible with appetizers from $8 and entrees from $14.

Minus the drinks, you could easily have dinner here for around $30, and the ambiance is regal and ecletic.

Because of this the menu incourages you to have two appetizers and one of the small entrees.

We sampled four of the former, and all were palate pleasing and provocative.

The flavors were Asian, South American, and uniformly well-prepared and sharply served.

Like the cusine, the wait staff is elegant and attentive.

Single bar? So what.

Bond has in one month become one of the hottest after-work watering holes in Boston.

Luckily its location in the financial district ensures that the clientele includes an ample smattering of more mature types, so happily married and mature dinners will feel at home while surrounded by the "beautiful people."

Director of Food and Beverages Niels Vuijsters and the Langham's architects have transformed this historic room into a very attractive bistro and bar.

Executive Chef Mark Sapienza has managed to transform a five-star French restaurant menu into an equally mouth-watering bistro without a hitch.

The Langham Hotel Boston itself blends the legendary hospitality of the original Langham grand hotels with the classic architectural elegance of Boston's former Federal Reserve Bank building.

As reported in Hotels magazine a month ago, "Created by the world-renowned team at Jeffrey Beers International, the design capitalizes on the grandeur of the room's historic pedigree and introduces modern elements and clever interpretations of Bond's financial heritage.

"Owned and operated by The Langham, Boston, Bond is located within the former Federal Reserve Bank, constructed in 1922 in the heart of Boston's Financial District.

"The historical significance and richness of the original space, the former bank's Member's Court, will allow guests to experience a unique sense of glamour and mystique in an exclusive dining and nightlife setting that will be new to Boston."

So swing by Bond on your next Boston visit, and let us know if you agree with our impressions.

Below: Our entrees were Hook and Line Cod Loin a la Plancha, Espelette Pepper, Potato Piperade and Romesco - $16, and Patricia tried the Slow Cooked Short Rib of Beef, Great Hill Blue Cheese and Chive Polenta - $16 (not shown). On right: Enrobed Chocolate Cheesecake Lollipops on stick ready to dip into Salty Caramel Cashews and Pop Rocks plus Valrhona Chocolate and Raspberry Sauces - $9. and the Vietnamese Chocolate and Coffee Tart with Condensed Milk Chantilly, Van Gogh Double Espresso Vodka - $8.

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Winter Camp for Kids

 Every tweenager should know how to make mozzarella from scratch

The lobby of The Charles Hotel in Cambridge is wired and wonderful with its mammoth murals and bookcases. Two budding chefs pose by in front of Joel Babb's mixed media piece titled “Mass Ave Study.”

The Charles Hotel in Cambridge caters to kids and their companions

By Walter and Patricia Brooks 

Executive Sous Chef Jared Desroches has a way with tweens. Here he gets them deeply into making mozzarella.

Henrietta herself welcomes guests to her "Tables".

You can just imagine Marina's excitement when she  discovered her bathroom mirror was a TV screen.

Part of the Kid's Camp package induces skating on The Charles own rink.

If you are a wracked with "Cape Cod Cabin Fever" as we were last week, you'll jump at this chance to send your kids - in our case, grand kids - away to camp in February.

It can be for one day or the weekend, and you can tag along since the redoubtable Charles Hotel in Harvard Square has conceived a Winter Kid's Camp which includes learning to cook from a grand master. A description of this package is below, but first let us tell you about this property.

It's a block off Harvard Square next to some of the greatest shopping and dining in Great Boston. The property is elegant to the max and a stay includes; wireless internet in the lobby, restaurants and public areas, free local phone calls, 24-hour concierge and in-room dining, library in lobby with The Harvard Coop's autographed bestsellers, books on call- a personal delivery of novels to hotel guests, "Kid's Kits" presented to children upon arrival, Complimentary cribs outfitted with bumpers, fitted sheets and blankets and it's Pet-friendly.

Here's the package offered by The Charles

24-Hour Winter camp for Kids

Saturday
11 a.m. early check-in

12:30 - 2 p.m. / Lunch at Henrietta's Table, recently named one of America's Best Farm-to-Table restaurants in America by Gourmet.

Kids will get a demo on cooking different meals from the chef, learn about a New England farm and will help prepare lunch for themselves.

3 - 5 p.m. / Located just outside the hotel, kids (and adults if they choose) will enjoy the hotel's Ice Skating Rink, along with lessons and hot Chocolate.

Dinnertime / Guests will be on their own and are encouraged to enjoy the tastes of Harvard Square and Downtown Boston only ten minutes distant.

After dinner / Watch unlimited movies in your room and snack on popcorn.

Sunday
7 - 10 a.m. / Breakfast at Henrietta's Table
10 a.m. - Noon / Swimming at Wellbridge, including lessons, swim toys, floaties, etc. -OR- Tour of Harvard Square in the Charles' own London Cab.
1 p.m. Late check-out.

Package includes room, ice skating, swimming, breakfast, lunch, parking, and unlimited free movies with popcorn in the room. There is a limit of 2 kids per room.

Package Prices: Package starts at $379 + tax

Package Date: Saturdays through February 28, 2009 (includes 2/7, 2/14, 2/21, & 2/28)
Extend Your Stay: Room rates start at $199

The Charles Hotel / One Bennett Street / Cambridge, MA / (617) 864-1200.

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An bee-zy Boston bistro where you won't get stung

The Beehive is a gastronomic sanctuary from mauve & pearl gray napery

The neither regions of The Beehive offer as phantasmagoric a landscape as any Gothic fairy tale

Be prepared to have you taste buds energized and astonished

By Walter & Patricia Brooks

We started with these spicy Crouquetas de Pollo.

General Manager Bertil Jean-Chronberg served me my Beef Stoganoff.

My wife had the Double-boned Pork Chop with Frites.

And grandson Will was in awe of his mountainous Prime Burger with bacon and Frites.

Luckily for us last Friday evening we stopped at The Beehive for dinner early on our way to our hotel in Cambridge with our two grandchildren.

Otherwise we would have had to wait a while for a table during this rumored restaurant recession.

We say rumored because The Beehive was swarming with bee-utiful people, and the air was thick with mouthwatering smells.

It's a testament to a really original menu offered at modest price in an urban setting, and it reminds us that even in the worst of times, entrepreneurs and busy bees prosper.

The menu changes often, but we started with the Mexican Chicken Croquettes on the right plus a stunning squash soup and the Moroccan Cigars which were lamb-filled phyllo dough Spring Rolls.

Gourmet grandson Will proclaimed them the best things he had ever tasted.

My wife's Double-boned Pork Chop was huge, and full of new flavors. She could not begin to finish it, but it was a great lunch treat back on Cape Cod a day later.

I had the best Beef Stroganoff served on perfect egg noodles I've had in decades. It's a classic dish of meat sautéed with onion and cooked in a sauce of sour cream, seasonings, mushrooms using a trencherman's portion of Paprika.

It's a jazzy beehive

So on you next visit to Boston you had better jump on the bandwagon and head to the Beehive at 541 Tremont Street which has become the hottest bohemian watering hole in town.

It's in the heart of the South End cobbled together out of three separate buildings, one of which was an old boiler room.

Last Friday the music was a duo of piano and drum, and the drummer sang hauntingly reminiscent of a young and healthy Billy Holiday.

You will feel as though you have stepped into an artist's studio in Paris or SoHo where the food is every bit as exciting and nouveau as the decor.

The Beehive is also the newest addition to the Boston jazz circuit and takes its name from La Ruche ("the beehive" in French) which was an early 20th-century artists' colony in Paris much favored by Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall.

That weighty reference should make it clear that the designers (and they designed it themselves) clearly envisioned something different than either the dive bars or the sleek, hotel-run operations where jazz in Boston tends to be performed.

General Manager Bertil Jean-Chronberg is a presence here, and cuts a mean figure with Gallic charm and great attention to detail as well as every guest.

The man knows how to run a restaurant.

The Beehive in Boston's South End is a hip new downtown hangout that serves up cold drinks and hot dinner and jazz seven nights a week until 2am. What's cool about the Beehive is that it's something totally new to the Boston or New England scene.

In a neighborhood rife with $30 plates of comfort food tarted up with organic ramps and pomegranate purée, the Beehive's original and quirky cuisine and sexy subterranean setting is a respite from all those mauve and pearl gray tables where it's the same old choices at inflated prices.

The The Beehive the Plates average about $10 and the Entreés $22.

If the scads of day-trippers in L.L. Bean and locals with strollers give you pause, relax. but  the sophisticated menu offers no amnesty, so rev up your taste buds and have an adventure.

The Beehive, In the Boston Center for the Arts, 541 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116. (617) 423-0069, email.

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The island time forgot

Exuma, the undiscovered Eden fifty miles north of Cuba

  A fleet of Bahama boats with their incredibly long booms, fresh from a race around Elizabeth Harbor, are towed past our hotel room in George Town, Greater Exuma.

By Walter & Patricia Brooks

I shouldn't be telling you about Exuma. You might be wise enough to recognize it for the forgotten tropic paradise this isolated Bahamian Island has remained even into the 21st century.

Rolle Town is typical of the ruined beauty here.

The Straw Market is across from the library which you  can join for $3 and take a handful of books away.

The Fish Shacks noth of George Town offer Bahamian delights at very low cost. This is Charlie's.

Contrast that with J.P.'s Bistro at February Point.

Or the view from the deck of the restaurant at St. Francis Resort on Stocking Island across the harbor.

But our favorites are Santana's beach shack in Williams Town where these fishermen prepare our lunch, and

The Original Three Sisters in Mount Thompson north  of the airport is perhaps the best deal.
And be sure to rent a Boston Whaler and go looking for starfish on Stocking Island.

But my compulsive nature and big mouth will undo me every time, and here I am abetting the befouling of this unspoilt, almost empty isle by writing about it once again.

This will only encourage the few of you who have the desire to seek the peace and quiet, friendliness and warmth which Exuma exudes instead of the fevered excitement and posh amenities of the usual modern and sophisticated winter destinations.

So, if you require five star hotels and Zagat recommended restaurants, turn the page right now, because you're in the wrong place.

Same old, same old, thank heavens

Exuma is different because it's the same.  The same as it's been for the nearly three decades we have visited to escape the madding crowd and gilded opulence of today's modern resort scene.

God knows there are a thousand other Caribbean resorts which will allow you to feel like you've never left home - places which will give you the comfort you had when you last visited Orlando, Hilton Head or Palm Springs and their ilk.

If this sounds like reverse snobbery, I plead guilty.

My inestimable wife Patricia and I have now traveled to and written about over one-hundred countries, and usually as the guest of the government which houses us in their proudest properties like the recently terror-bombed Taj Palace & Towers in Mumbai, India.

But whenever we find a third-world country safe enough for a visit, or an untamed wilderness, we hurry off into the unknown, witness our two trips to Haiti (the last one included our being high jacked by a Haitian air port guard sticking an Uzi machine-gun in our bellies on the way out) and the Marquesas in the middle of the Pacific where Herman Melville jumped ship.

So why do we expose Exuma to your eyes?

The simple (and true) answer is pride. Pride in my wife's photography which I would otherwise not have an excuse to publish.

Now having warned the wary traveler away, Patricia's art will lure them back, so here's what you will find when you arrive at George Town on Great Exuma in the southern Bahamas about 50 miles north of Cuba in the Tropic of Cancer.

George Town is a hot, slightly dusty town about the size of one New York City block.

There is nothing to do here.

Although crime is virtually unknown, and the locals are very friendly, it isn't safe to walk the streets (there are two in town) because there are no lines in the middle of the roads and the Bahamian police stay inside the air conditioned comfort of their building next to the Straw Market where you can buy many typically tacky trinkets made in Asia.

The biggest excitement is a stroll to the town dock to watch the ferry or freighter from Nassau which arrive every few days.

So you must rent a car and drive to either end of this thirty-seven mile long, half mile wide island.

To the south of George Town

Almost at the southeastern tip you will come to Santana's beach bar in Williams Town on Little Exuma which is connected to Greater Exuma by a hundred yard long, one lane bridge.

The food is wonderful and inexpensive - Pat had a whole snapper (including the head) and I had Grouper covered with a delicious tomato, pepper and onion sauce, both with tasty peas and rice, corn and Cole slaw, total cost $27.

There are persistent rumors that a Ritz resort may be built just south of here.

Since you brought your bathing suit, on your way back take the third dirt road on your right north of Santana's (the telephone pole at this road is covered with blue reflectors) to Tropic of Cancer beach, the best strand on Exuma.

Two miles before you get back into George Town look for February Point on your right, and drive in to be amazed at the million dollar homes this Canadian family-owned company has built.

After a few days of Snapper and Grouper, you will be dying for a brief return to haute cuisine, and there isn't any much more haute than at the new restaurant here at the marina.

J.P.'s Bamboo Bistro is run by chief Jean-Pierre who is French by way of Zaire.

For an hour or two you will be swept away to St. Tropez or St. Bart's right here in this tiny, almost primitive Caribbean island.

We had the best Conch Cake and Lobster Bisque ever, followed by a Ginger & Curry Lobster and Grouper and a hot chocolate Lava Cake with ice cream.

Across Elizabeth Harbor

If you rent a boat ($120 a day for a 15-foot Boston Whaler) you can ply lovely Elizabeth Harbor which lies east of George Town and is sheltered by a series of barrier islands.

The largest one, Stocking Island, is the site of the very attractive, new St Francis Resort. It's nearly four acres stretches from harbor to the ocean with eight rooms on the bluff overlooking both. The interiors looks like a high-end US resort's rooms with a kitchenette, and bath, $285 a night.

The restaurant has the best view on Exuma, and the food matches it in quality at modest (by Caribbean standards) prices.

The fish sandwich came with excellent fries on toast, and was spiced slightly with curry and pickle.

Northwest to Barraterre

The northwest is much the same as the southeast. The final town, Barraterre, is a bone fisherman's paradise.

On the way stop for lunch in Mount Thompson at the Original Three Sisters on the right.  It's a simple, local bar and bistro, but the food is really good and the prices for lunch the lowest on the island.

On our last visit Pat had Fried Chicken and I had the Pork Ribs. Both came with three sides, Macaroni & Cheese, Harvard Beets and Lettuce and tomato, $10 each.

            Ode to Exuma

We lounged in languor on the strand,
(That's a fancy word for a stretch of sand.)
Arabs may call this site just dandy,
Pragmatist would demur, "It's awefully sandy."

We ate greasy grouper without bibs,
While pitying the unfortunate Caribs,

And now bid farewell to Great Exumer,
'Cause home is where we'd rather be sooner.                                                -wb

Dinner at the Fish Fry

For dinner most nights we drive a mile north of George Town to the "Fish Fry" shacks, about a dozen small restaurants clustered together on the beach.

The usual snapper, grouper, chicken and ribs are standards, but try the Chicken Souse at Charlie's for a real Bahamian treat.

Imagine the best Greek, lemon soup you ever had, had chicken wings, legs, potato, celery, onion, red Louisiana peppers in a spicy soup you will long remember, $8 with a big hunk of Johnny Cake. We added eight, large conch fritters for $3. and a bottle of strawberry soda for a buck - $20 total for dinner for two.

If you must have a touch of Hilton Head, drive 18 miles north to the Four Seasons Resort at Emerald Bay in Farmers Hill. The resort has nearly 300 units and was less than 20% filled this week. Built for over $1 billion four years ago, it has been in bankrupcy for two years and is  said to be available for $130 million today.

So why build a swank resort on Exuma? It's the weather - it's dependable and wonderful 95% of the high season days.  Four Seasons looks like the scene below.

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On the rocky coast of Maine for Thanksgiving

With a bay view from every window

   The view from the deck of our master bedroom in East Boothbay overlooking Linekin Bay as the the lobsterman from across the bay returns with his catch. See another view at the bottom of this story.

Far from the madding crowd in a cottage built by a woodcarver and an artist

By Walter and Patricia Brooks

Our host is a wonderful artist, and her paintings cover every wall. Her studio is across from the cottage.

Can you imagine how relaxing it is to sit in the comfortable livingroom of this cottage which hangs over the salt water of Linekin Bay, and watch each evening's spetacular sunset.

The master bedroom features spectacular wrap-around views of  Linekin Bay and a gas stove . 

It also has a king bed and access to the upper deck. 

The kitchen looks out on the bay from all sides, and even the bathrooms have a bay view.

And Ron is a remarkable woodcarver with his work evident throughout the cottage, like this mirror of his with one of Mary Ellen's paintings reflected in it.

Another Ron-Mary Ellen surprise is the fleet of sloops painted on the inside of a bathroom door.

Each morning we watched the lobsterman from across the bay go out to pull up his pots. With the "bugs" at rock bottom prices of a little over $3 a pound here, the boats are making twice as many trips to earn the same amount they got a few months ago. This was his second trip on a chilly and wet Wednesday morning.

Its a five minute stroll to the picturesque village of East Boothbay with its shipyard and smashing General Store. (Photo coutesy of the latter)

On Thanksgiving Day we ate at  The Tugboat Inn in Boothbay with this scene as our centerpiece.

Massachusetts citizens made a terrible mistake during the War of 1812 by not providing enough protection to its northern shore which then extended all the way to the Canadian border and included what is today's state of Maine.

The result was the citizens of Maine rebelled enough to successfully get the US Congress to create a new state and separate from the Bay State.

Our terrible mistake was not insisting on taking the northern part and sticking today's Mainers with what is now called Taxachusetts.

The 21 st century result of all this is the hordes of Massachusetts residents who re-invade the Pine Tree State at every opportunity. The worst nighmare most Mainers have these days is waking up to see a Massachusetts licence plate on a car in the driveway next door.

Maine is, after all, what Cape Cod was like a hundred years ago.

Go North, young man and see the sea from every room

As most readers know we vacation with our grandkids in Maine every summer to escape from the vacationers who annually triple the population of Cape Cod from July Fourth through Labor Day, and this week we returned a second time to celebrate Thanksgiving on the sparkling shores of Linekin Bay in East Boothbay about a three hour drive northeast of Boston.

The wonderful couple we rented the Seanook cottage from, Ron and Mary Ellen Serina, have created a near paradise on Paradise Point Road three miles east of Boothbay.

To appreciate the pleasure this cottage offers, you would have to imagine yourself at the prow of a ship with wall-to-wall windows off the rocky coast of Maine. Cape Cod simply does not offer this kind of vista, our sandy footings would not allow it.

And the front room here, with it's roaring fireplace aglow, was so snug and cozy, we had a hard time leaving it to visit the area's many attractions.

Even reading a book was difficult as your eyes kept looking out again at the bay with ducks paddling past our dock, or a lobsterman swinging about to pick up his pots, or as another crimson and gold sunset turned suddenly monochromatic as a storm approached.

Heck, all we had to do was walk out the front door and turn right and wander along this bucholic little peninsula which looks out to the Atlantic and several islands directly in front of us like Damariscove.

Or we could walk a half mile to the left to the sleepy village of East Boothbay with it's busy boatyards and quaint general store.

And how do you describe a waterfront cottage built by a skilled woodcarver and a fine artist?

There are bits and pieces of it which resemple one of Ron's wood sculptures or Mary Ellen's art all over the place - like the little painting of a row of sailboats and seagulls on the inside of the bathroom door or his work-in-progress kitchen countertop.

Ron's business card reads; "Savior of fine furniture, rescuer of lesser brands.”

This spectacular property rents for $3,200 a week  during the height of the season, and it's a bargain at that price.

But from Memorial Day week and the first two weeks of June, and again the last three weeks of September, all of October and Thanksgiving week it is available at $2,200 a week for this four bedroom house with its own dock hanging over the salt waters of Linekin Bay.

That comes to $314 a night for a whole family.

Off season Maine and Moody's

In July and August Maine can also be a tad busy, but even then at a less hectic pace than as the Cape and most other eastern resort areas.

But at this time of year we had the whole, wonderful and oh-so-friendly place to ourselves. A good example was breakfast at Moody's Diner in Waldoboro last Monday.

And if you don't know about Moody's you are a diner naif.

This usually jammed eatery is the mecca of diner enthusiasts, and the usual twenty minute wait well worth it, But this week it was over half empty and the prices will embarrass the bistro-bandits of cape Cod:

2 eggs, 2 sausage links, 2 pancakes, $4.29.

On Thanksgiving the Moody special was even more incredible. Here's what you get for $14.50 on Turkey Day:

• Roast Turkey or Roast Pork
• All the fixin's
• Homeade vegetable soup
• Mashed potato, stuffing, gravy, turnip, squash, boiled onions, homemade bisquit, beverage, and
• A piece of apple, pumpkin or mincemeat pie.

Fine dining at bargain prices

One evening we had dinner at The Thistle Inn and had a world-class pizza, $10.95, while the rest had baked haddock for $16.

The portions were so large they had to bring half of it home for the next night's meal.

We wento back for the Tuna Burger with ginger soy mayo, grilled onion, and wasabe dusted hand cut fries for $11, an incredible Haddock Chowder and another pizza.

Another day the men went for a boys-only lunch at McSeagulls on the Boothbay Wharf.

This area is wall-to-wall tourists in season, but Tuesdayat noon we were the only customers. The Tuna Burger with wasabe mayo was a knock-out and my brother-in-law Jim Twite said his chowdah was as good as any he ever ate. My son Todd wolfed down his Drunken Rum BBQ Shrimp and Onion Rings before we could steal any from him.

I won't embarrass our Cape Cod restaurateurs by telling you how inexpensive it was, but here's the incredible menu if you're interested.

On to Thanksgiving

On Thursday we had our Turkey Day feast at The Tugboat Inn on the Boothbay Harbor where we may have to go as high at $16.99 for a Flat Iron Steak with fresh vegetables, roasted red potatoes and a freshly baked roll. The complete turkey dinner was $17.99.

Seanook Cottage Rental and Paradise Studio,
PO Box 115, East Boothbay, ME 04544 ~
Telephone: (207)633-6093 ~
email: paradisestudio@roadrunner.com.  The amenities include Wi-Fi, three satillite linked TVs, hundreds of books, a well-stcked and equipped kitchen and ocean views from every room.

   Below is the view from the deck of our bedroom on another morning in Maine.

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Leaf Peeping & Wine Tasting in Connecticut's "Quiet Corner"

Vermont & New Hampshire has nothing on Connecticut's "Quiet Corner"

   As a tenth generation son of Connecticut, I was amazed at the Fall foliage in this "Quiet Corner"  when my wife and I visited over Columbus Day weekend. This is Roseland Park Lake in Woodstock.

And you won't believe the restaurants and wineries two hours west of the Cape

Text by Walter Brooks, photos by Pat Brooks

Our first port of calories in the "Quiet Corner" was a truly remarkable bistro called The Vanilla Bean in Pomfret which boasted as eclectic and exciting a menu as we'd ever seen. I had the award-winning "Killer Chili" and maybe the best Reuben Sandwich ever. That's owner Barry Jessurun standing in front above.

Next we got lost in a spectacular Corn Maze in Thompson after shopping in the antique center of Putnam.

Dinner the first night at The Harvest in Pomfret offered the best Gyoza ever, and I finished off a great Chateaubriand.

And fell into the sleep of the innocent at The Mansion In Woodstock.

The second day after an enormous breakfast at The Mansion, we toured the colorful country roads like Route 169 and spent time at Safe Haven Alpaca Farm and store in Hamton on Route 6.

A few miles away in Lisbon we were regaled by Chef Harry and his beautiful wife and editor Laura.

I was born in  the other end of the Nutmeg State in Litchfield County, and my family has been in Connecticut since they arrived from Cheshire, England, in 1894. But somehow I'd never made it to the opposite corner of this relatively small state correctly called "The Quiet Corner".

That's a shame because the Windham County area in the northeast corner snuggled up against Sturbridge, MA and Chepachet, RI is as pretty a countryside as New England offers.

What we did & when
We left on Wednesday morning, October 8 and got off I-195 in Providence to take old Route 44 which is how we drove to the Cape before the super highways were finished in the 1960s. See the detailed map below the photo at the very bottom.

Wait until you get past Taunton to fill up because  gas prices there are even lower than Wareham or Christy's.

We could have reached this bucolic backwoods in two hours, but we weren't in a rush, and lunch wasn't till noon  at The Vanilla Bean Cafe  in  Pomfret at the corner of Routes 44, 97 and 169. 

Despite our relaxed pace, we still had time to mosey down Route 169 past the Pomfret School and this lovely village.

The Bean was mobbed at noon on Wednesday, and there isn't a large population base within forty miles.

A-mazing afternoon
After lunch we staggered over to Fort Hill Farm's "Appalachian Trail Educational" Corn Maze at 260 Quaddick Road in Thompson, see map at bottom.

Maze mistress Kristin Orr told us we could see Rhode Island from the bridges inside the maze. She created this huge maze herself using a big weed whacker with a GPS attached. The design includes a cow and a hiker.

We still had time to explore Putnam's Antiques Marketplace on Main Street and other shops which surround it.

The Audubon Properties at Bafflin Sanctuary and Trailwood, 189 Pomfret Street, Pomfret, have many lovely wooded trails.

Dinner at The Harvest:
We dined this first evening at the  Harvest Restaurant, where we were pleasantly surprised at the Japanese influences on their menu. I also had a Chateaubriand to die for - four melt in your mouth slices of great quality.

Our inn the first night was the
Mansion at Bald Hill, Woodstock, tel. 860-974-3456, 29 Plain Hill Road South Woodstock, where we were also served a Herculean gourmet breakfast the next morning.

A Scenic Drive
On our drive south towards Lisbon on Scenic Route 169 for lunch we took the time to visit the shops in Pomfret like Majilly, 56 Babbitt Hill Rd.,  Martha's Herbary, 589 Pomfret  and Celebrations Shoppes, 330 Pomfret St. and Hazelwood Fine Crafts, 12 Putnam Road (Route 44), all in Pomfret.

We even had time to visit the Safe Haven Alpaca Farm and shop on Route 6.

Lunch in Chef Harry's winery
Heritage Trail, 291 North Burnham Highway, Lisbon, is a good hike down 169 and the scenery was lovely. Harry and Laura Schwartz have written a half dozen well-received cook books, and he is Chef Harry on both NBC's Today Show and the Hartford Fox TV station.

After a short nap in our next  inn, The Cottage House, a part of the Lord Thompson Manor in Thompson, we were able to visit the Taylor Brooke Winery on Rte 171 in Woodstock for wine tasting and walk in the vineyard.

Dinner our second night was at 85 Main Street , an excellent restaurant named for its address in Putnam, 

Final morning
After breakfast at The Cottage House, we headed north to Southbridge and home. See map below this photo.

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The Good, The bad, and The Vineyard

How to have a great, inexpensive holiday on an island six miles off our shores

   Above the waves but below the sky, looms an island of a bygone day, Martha's Vineyard, and the wide front porch of the classic Wesley House looks out over it all.

The Good, The Bad and The Vineyard

By Walter Brooks, photography by Patricia Brooks

As a young girl growing up, my wife spent every summer in Oak Bluffs at her aunt Fran Willoughby's tiny cottage three doors up "Behind Pasque Ave." from the harbor.

"On Martha's Vineyard, mostly I love the soft collision here of harbor and shore, the subtly haunting briny quality that all small towns have when they are situated on the sea"
           - William Styron.

Her passionate love of the island brings us back as often as possible, and this year that happened once again last week where, now that her favorite aunt is gone, we stay at that grand dame of the harbor, the Wesley House so-named after the founder of Methodism whose picture postcard campground starts at the hotels back door.

The Wesley House is one of the great old New England hotels which has not changed or become yet another glitzy surrender to the base taste of traveling Americans. There is always a fresh pot of strong coffee brewing, and one can, and probably should, spend their entire holiday on Martha's Vineyard simply sitting in a rocking chair on its wide, front porch shown above which looms over the busy harbor.

We won't try to sell you any more, in fact, we secretly hope you need an overpriced Four Seasons and you are too snobbish to enjoy a real Vineyard experince where a waterfront room is only $145 a night after September 7th.

We grabbed the first Hy-Line ferry from Hyannis for the hour and thirty-five minute sea voyage. The cost is a bit stiff, $22.50 for you and $6 for your bike - because no one should ever bring another vechicle to this beautiful place.

Wesley House, 70 Lake Avenue, P.O Box 2370, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, Martha's Vineyard (508) 693-6611 - Toll Free: (800)638-9027, website, email.

The Steamship Authority in Woods Hole and The Island Queen in Falmouth Harbor carry travelers coming from the west. The Authorty only charges $6.50 a person and bikes are $3, but your car. which can only come on the Steamship boats with a reservation, cost $67.50 if under 17 feet and $77.50 if up to 20 feet long.

Arriving at the Oak Bluffs docks we lashed our rolling suitcases to our bikes and pedaled the 150 yards to the hotel. After registering we biked along Nantucket Sound to Edgartown's swank shops 9 miles away.

After spending a few hours in Edgartwon, I threw my bike on the front of the superb Vineyard Transportation Authority bus for a $2. trip back to the Wesley Hotel while Pat continued shopping.

The next day we paid $3 each for a one-day pass on the MTA and visited every one of the island's  six towns spending an hour at Menemsha and ending at the red clay cliffs (shown above on right) at Aquinnah in the western end.

But man and woman does not live by nostalgia alone, and the inner man and woman needs to eat well and often, so each year we look for what's new to suggest our readers.

The Good
Patricia discovered a new Asian restaurant across from the Steamship dock at the head of Oak Bluffs Avenue which until a year ago housed the very overpriced Standby Diner which managed to offer diner food at Four Seasons prices.

Its replacement, O-Sun Asian Kitchen, is as fine an Asian eatery as any we have reviewed, and we have spent months in every southern Asia country from India through Japan.

The tiny, railroad car wide restaurant seats about 30 people, but a great Asian chef can create culinary magic for even one person.

Despite its size O-Sun's menu offers;

• Five Soups 
• Four Salads
  
• Eighteen Appetizers (top on right)
  
• Three Noodle Soups
  
• Five Chef Specialties )Sea Bass on right)
  
• Four Tempuras
  
• Two Donburis
• Ten Wok Specialties
  
• Sixteen Wok Classics
  
• Five Rock & Rolls (Nori Tempura) and
• Two Japanese Noddles dishes
  

We had the Tofu Miso Soup $4 and the Hot and Sour Soup $5. They were both excellent and the latter was surperb.

O-Sun, 5 Oak Bluffs Avenuez, Oak Bluffs (508) 696-0220, AMEX, Mastercard, Visa,, Dinner, Lunch, BYOB, email.

For appetizers we tried the Wasabi Shumai $7 and Gyoza $6, shown on right which were both outstanding.

Our entrees were Sea Bass with Saukyo Miso $20, (shown on right) and the Dried Sauteed Shredded Beef Szechuan Style $15.

Words fail me to adequitely praise both.

The ancient tile doorstep at Pompadoro was the only thing we found attractive about the place. Patricia's father, Harry Twite, worked in the A&P in 1940.

The Bad
Another night, more to relax our palates after O-Sun, we returned to what used to be a great pizzeria.

The joint at the end of Circuit Avenue was once Papa John's and two generations ago the site of the A&P grocery store. We often ate there on Vineyard visits. In fact, the place was so kewl that two summers ago our hostess was Katie Dickson who has become one of our very best bloggers, Journo, whose work is often picked up as Op Ed pieces in the Providence Journal. Back then it was quite good.

It's called Pomodoro Pizzaria and serves what could easily be the worse pizza in North America, wait, let's not limit their scope, it may be the worse in the world. Let's assume the chef on Tueday is new, but...

I would describe the pizza crust as cardboard-like, except I don't want to demean some very good cardboard I've chewed on occasion.

The Verdura pizza failed on every count;

They wouldn't substitute Feta for Mozzarella while there was a total of three customers in the joint, two of whom were us. The Zucchini was in thick, uncooked slabs, and the sauce had all the flavor of a can of tomato puree.

Avoid it as one would the plague.

The Vineyard
This twenty-mile long island is simply wonderful. It mixes the flamboyance of Oak Bluffs with the elegance of Edgartown and the retail (albeit dry) town of Vineyard Haven.  In fact, that town is dry due to the efforts of another of my wife's relatives who was a teatotaler and its selectman a century ago. For everything else to do on the island, pick up a copy of the Best Read Guide.

Below is a glimpse of what you'll see when you visit, from the top left clockwise; Ocean Park overlooking Nantucket Sound and Cape Cod which is surrounded by gingerbread house, fishing boats in Menemsha Harbor, men scratching for clams in front of the Edgartown Lighthouse, and even the ladders are pink when this painter works on a pink-trimmed house in Oak Bluffs. Photos by Pat Brooks.

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A unique New England holiday

The Christmas Farm Inn & Spa on Eagle Mountain, Jackson NH

   Last weekend found septuagenarian Joe DiConza celebrating his birthday with his extended family by toasting marshmallows as night fell over Eagle Mountain and the Christmas Farm Inn.

By Walter and Patricia Brooks

Jackson, New Hampshire epitomizes small-town New England. A picture-postcard, red covered bridge serves as your introduction on Route 16 just a few miles above North Conway's shopping areas.

The inn has eight private cottages as well as the inn proper, carriage house and family barn suites.

Grandson Will had his first French Onion Soup, $6, which he said tasted like liquid French Fries.

Looking down the hill from the spa at the gym and indoor pool house.

The town is a 1/4 mile bike ride down the hill from the inn. Will and I rode around the village and over the red covered bridge

Christmas Farm Inn & Spa is a scenic two hour drive north of Boston and snuggled between a half dozen of New Hampshire's best ski areas.

The Mount Washington Cog Railroad is a scenic drive north, and

The North Conway Lunch Train is a delightful way to rumble through the woods. Here Will and Marina wait for Engine #573 to turn around and pull us back to North Conway from Bartlett.

It is a village complete with white-steepled church, small shops, cascades, and a collection of inviting inns and perhaps the best known is the Christmas Farm Inn and Spa.

Nestled in the eastern slope of the White Mountains, the town has been inspiring artists, vacationers, and lovers of the outdoors for well over a century.

You'll be surrounded by country charm  walking, biking and Nordic Skiing along Main Street's nearby trails. Though the simplicity is refreshing, a cosmopolitan aura emanates from Jackson's inns, cuisine, and the residents themselves. Add a touch of whimsy as part of the flair here when in autumn townsfolk and businesses decorate the area with pumpkin people.

Christmas Farm Inn & Spa
The inn is a quarter mile up Route 16-B (Dundee Road) from this picturesque village which easily lays claim as New England's first and premier cross country ski center.

We've done a lot of Nordic Skiing, a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, but we've never enjoyed any trail as much as the Ellis River Trail which starts at the Dana Place near Pinkham Notch on Route 16 five minutes by car north and winds gently downhill to Jackson.

Après everything
In the inn's award-winning Plum Pudding Restaurant you can close your eyes and settle yourself back and imagine the world of Charles Dicken’s day. Conjure up all the wonderful sights and smells associated with the Yuletide, from the cinnamon-dusted sugar plum donuts, to the balsam-scented garlands and the roast goose on Christmas morning.

For our first dinner I had the Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin Stuffed with Currants, Candied Walnuts, and Gorgonzola Cheese, Topped with Maple Apple Chutney, Accompanied with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato, $25.

My wife and grandson tried the Filet Mignon, a grilled seven ounce Filet with Garden Fresh Rosemary and Caramelized Leek Bordelaise, accompanied with a Truffle Mashed Potato, $31.

Ten-year-old Will, already a world-traveled gourmet, judged it as good as any he's had. He said, "it's like a knife going through butter."

The Spa
It is rare when a New England country inn has a world class spa on the property, but that's one more feature at the Christmas Farm Inn and Spa which is prepared to provide each guest with total pampering.

Area attractions
A breathtakingly beautiful ride north will take you and the kids to the unique and world-famous Mount Washington Cog Railroad.

The original "little train that could", the Mount Washington Cog Railway has been climbing to the summit of Mt. Washington, New Hampshire since July 3, 1869. The track runs along a steep, 3.1 mile long trestle whose maximum gradient is over 37%, making it the second steepest mountain climbing train in the world, second only to the Pilatus Bahn in Switzerland. The only railroad on Earth whose entire run is built on a trestle, the Mount Washington Cog Railway takes visitors on a timeless adventure to the summit of the 6,288 foot high mountain, "home of the world's worst weather".

And five miles south of Jackson is the Conway Scenic Railroad which offers a very neat Lunch and Dinner Train.

Lunch is served on the 11:30 a.m. departure to Bartlett (1 3/4 hr.) and on the 1:30 p.m. departure to Conway (55 min.). A contemporary lunch menu from Crawford's Restaurant includes an appetizer, a variety of entree selections, and dessert.

For dinner, you can enjoy fine cuisine and a leisurely 1-3/4 hour journey through the Mount Washington Valley countryside on one of the "Sunset" departures. The dinner menu includes appetizer, salad, a choice of entree and dessert.

The village
Entering the village through the red, covered "Honeymoon Bridge" tells you Jackson is the perfect choice for any romantic celebration, whether engagement, wedding, elopement, anniversary or "whatever".

Beautiful locations for ceremonies and photographs abound from Jackson Falls or the village Gazebo to award-winning gardens or the spectacular property itself at Christmas Farm Inn and Spa which can accommodate larger events. The possible settings include outdoor gardens, the restored antique barn, or a tented event on the grounds.

A true country inn, Christmas Farm is set on a hillside overlooking beautiful Jackson Village and New Hampshire's White Mountains. The inn is also one of the few New England inns with spa facilities. The great old resorts in the White Mountains have been supplemented now by smaller, more intimate inns like the Christmas Farm Inn (it was a Christmas gift from a former owner to his daughter) which offer comfort and warmth that are reason enough to visit Jackson. Although the skier, particularly the hard-working cross-country skier, probably revels in the breakfast spread, the dining room fire, the four- poster bed and the mulled cider at the inn's Pub add additional zest.

New Hampshire is very much a state of contrasts. The burgeoning growth in the southern tier evaporates just minutes north of the Massachusetts border. First come the sparkling lakes and then the White Mountains, high, jutting, snow-covered peaks, glistening in solitude and sharp-edged against the sky. Names like Lost River, Kancamagus, the Flume, Pemigewasset and the Old Man of the Mountain describe rock formations, roaring rivers and individual spires. There are also deep, wide, green national forests and state parks covering 12,000 square miles of the state's North Country, providing a view that countless artists have tried to capture.

The mountains run north and south with the eastern slope forming Mount Washington Valley and the western slope lying in the center of the state. They are readily accessible by Interstate 93, a straight shot from the Massachusetts line. The region is dotted with charming villages and small country stores as well as modern factory malls, and there are well-maintained two-lane highways like U.S. 3, U.S. 302 and State Route 16, which are the busiest thoroughfares in winter.

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What NOT to do on a Cruise

Avoiding the worse pitfalls of sea travel

We have taken fifteen cruises in the past four years, from a Burmese riverboat on the Mekong River and a tramp steamer in the Marquesas Islands to a Russian Ice-breaker on the Amazon and the newest mega-cruise ship to the Caribbean, and we've discovered many ways to save costs and still have fun while aboard.

Below are a few simple rules we offer to anyone planning to take a cruise this winter.

CRUISE COSTS:

There are as many different rates for the same cruise as there are salespeople to ask. Start with the cruise line site, then start to shop around. On a recent Caribbean cruise we were quoted $1,200 by the cruise lines, but ended up paying $995 or $81.81 a day for an 11 day cruise from NYC to the Southern Caribbean and back. At that rate we could have stayed aboard for a full year for  $29,860.

Places we always check include;

• CruiseComplete
• CruiseBrothers
• VacationsToGo

GETTING TO THE SHIP:

 Unless the cruise offer includes air fare, you could end up paying more to fly to the ship than for the entire cruise. Check whichever airline you normally use to add to your air miles, but also check the competition.

On a cruise last month which departed from Istanbul, we routinely checked Delta which was over $2,000 each. But we also checked Delta's partners which included Air France which charged $1,000 for the same two-leg flight from Boston, and best of all, we got a wonderful dinner on the foreign carrier.

Best of all, check to see if there are cruises which you can comfortably drive to within 300-500 miles. There are cruises to Bermuda from Boston in the summer, and a couple currently out of New York City.

Last year we drove to Montreal and spent a wonderful week cruising to the Îles de la Madeleine (on right) in the Atlantic off Gaspé Peninsula and Newfoundland for $750 each and no air port hassles. 

DINING ABOARD:

1. Make your dinner seating reservation as early as possible, and we mean while at home before you leave when you make the purchase. Many ships have two seatings, typically 6 and 8 for dinner, and open seating for lunch and breakfast. The early seating is filled fast, and this means you won't finish dining at the second seating until 9:30 which is fine if you also don't mind going to the onboard entertainment at 10pm and getting to bed around 11:30.
2. Ask for a table for two unless you don't mind getting stuck with the same, possibly boring, people for the next week or two. We've spoken to many travelers who look forward to this "Dining Roulette", but we've been stuck with flaming loudmouths and been forced to take option 3.
3. All except the smallest cruise ships offer a second, less formal dining option where you may not be waited upon, but where you get to pick your dinner mates. The food choices are same as in the formal dining room and often even offer additional options like a Taco Bar, and Asia Sidebar and a Sandwich Bar where you can build your own.

INTERNET ABOARD

Hopefully you have wi-fi on your laptop. Bring it along because it may save you a bundle. In our three cruises this year we had free wi-fi in two, UniWorld (on right) and Croatia. and exorbitant cost in the third, Holland America Lines.
Since one of my companies in an IT firm, eCape.com, we are well aware of the almost zero costs for installing wi-fi routers anywhere you have access whether it's broadband via cable or vis your phone company or via satellite.
On Holland America they charge $100 for 250 minutes which works out to 22 minutes a day on their typical 11 day cruise plus a $3.95 "activation" charge which is completely bogus since any wi-fi does its own "activation".
There is a reason for a charge to get online if you are using the ship's PCs, but to charge laptop owners for using their own equipment is gouging. Period.

Here is how bringing your laptop will pay off.

• You can write your emails offline and only use your charged minutes to download new messages and mail the ones you've already written and saved in your "sent" box.
• You can quikly browse for every site you want to see (local newspaper, WSJ, NYTimes, etc.) and they will still be on your desktop to read later after you have logged off.

Those poor suckers using the ship's PCs have to be online (and charged) while writing the emails. And you can always read your messages on your own laptop AFTER to log-off, whereas those using the ship's PCs can not.

• When you are in port, try searching for open wi-fi hot spots you can access from the ship, or tote your laptop in town to do so. Increasingly franchise food outlet offer free wi-fi, and these are spreading across the globe.

EXCURSIONS

1. Read the cruise brochure about Excursions very carefully noting the length and cost. Then contact the local chamber of commerce or tourism bureau in each port of call and ask their advice about onshore excursions. Describe the one on your brochure to them and ask if their membership offers others similar. We've discovered in every case we've checked that the local price is half what the cruise line charges.
2. If you forget to do the above before you leave home, wait until your ship docks and start walking toward the center of town.

This past week on a Holland America Lines cruise from NYC to the Southern Caribbean. We left Manhattan at 4pm on Saturday, and after three days at sea (the brochure say two) at 3pm on Tuesday we landed in Road Town, Tortola, BVI. The ship's 2-hour Excursion around the island costs $59. As we walked down the dock toward town the first local Excursion truck driver was hawking the same trip for $30 a couple. Ten feet further along a second driver offered the same for $25 a couple. As we walked long further one of the drivers pulled alongside us and offered the trip for $12 a piece ($24 a couple).

We still demurred, mostly because we have been to Tortola a dozen times already, but a few blocks later my brilliant wife saw a similar empty bus parked nearby. She asked the driver if there was a local commuter bus in town, and he replied that he was leaving shortly to bring Road Town school children home at the other end of the island when school broke at 2pm, and we were welcome to come along for free.

TIPPING

The riddle asked by Cape Cod waiters and waitresses goes,
   Question; What the difference between a canoe and a Canadian?
   Answer; A canoe tips.
We suggest our readers consider emulating the Canadians rather than the canoe when it comes to allowing your cruise to automatically add a daily gratuity, usually  $10 a day per person, to our bill.
On an 11 day cruise that cam to$220 in addition to the 15% automatically added to any drink order for the entire voyage.

ALCOHOL

Most cruise lines try to prevent you from bringing you own alcohol aboard. The way to get around that is to find a couple of plastic, mineral water bottles with vodka. Use a plastic, colored mouthwash bottle for darker hued spirits.
Stick the vodka-filled water bottles right in those side pockets on most back packs and walk aboard with it in plain view.

CRUISING MYTHS:

Another good source is this Heidi Allison article here  which debunks a dozen myths about cruising like;

• You have to fly to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale to get on a cruise ship. 
  
• People only take cruises when the weather turns cold.
• There’s nothing for men to do on a cruise.
• Kids are bored on a cruise (above right), our two grand kids have been on two cruises and had so much fun on board they often won't go on shore trips.
• Cruises are expensive.

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