A magical trip to Martha's Vineyard! Part I: just getting there and why we went

I have wanted to go to Martha's Vineyard for most of my life.  For me, there was some kind of draw to being near the water, having charming little villages to walk through and shop at, and the thought of an endless amount of gingerbread victorian homes and the very traditional New England white homes with black shutters and white picket fences.  All of this is an 'over the top' experience for me!! I love it all.  Don't get me wrong.  I absolutely adore Colorado and I will never move as long as the other women in my life live there.....but should they ever move away from me, I could be inclined to move to New England or California---hmmmm, opposite ends of the country and VERY different weather conditions. 

Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, CA and Martha's Vineyard actually have a lot in common.  #1 Reason = Lovely homes.  Aside from that, it's fun to visit and explore and it's all a wonderful learning along my journey to becoming an innkeeper with the man of my dreams. So, let's just call him Mr. Dreamy.  We made it!!!! We flew into Manchester, NH airport after a short layover in Chicago and left the next morning for the ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard.  I was thinking that maybe James Taylor would meet me at the airport.  He lives in the Berkshires now, but his kids live on Martha's Vineyard and maybe, just maybe, he'd be there on a visit with them. We DID get our picture taken together at his last concert in Denver.  Doesn't he (JT) know I'm coming to New England?  I guess not.

OK, well maybe Martha Stewart will be waiting for me when I get off the plane.  I just bought your cupcake carriers at Macy's, Martha.  Don't you want to meet me?  OH, it's not YOUR Vineyard! Well, excuse me! Well, how about Carly Simon?  I mean....I love your music...I know all the words to 'You're So Vain.'  And, I'm going to visit your store on Martha's Vineyard called Midnight Farm.  Don't you want to meet your customers?
I'm really just joking about all of this....I came to see the leaves, the houses, the pumpkins on porches, the apples at farm stands.  I came to search through antique stores for barkcloth and vintage teacups and I came to walk through leaves!  And....it would be nice if a moose just happened to cross my path when we're in New Hampshire. The last time we went to Maine, we saw and counted 37 moose....I'm not even kidding! I don't believe there are any of 'those' on MV though---

The most important reason I came to New England is to spend time with the dearest man in the world after we've had a very busy time this summer....from readying for an incredible wedding to refinishing logs to gardening and fighting the grasshopper plague...it's been a wild ride and we just needed to get away and be together, eat good food, talk, hold hands, and watch the play-offs on tv at night.  No, the last part is not me....I'm reading travel books on New England and catching up on emails and twitter while he roots for the winning team.

So...................here we go!

On Oct 7, we made the drive toward the ferry....the skies were so dark!

Our first day was spent flying, of course.  We had a layover in Chicago and by the time we arrived in Manchester, NH, we were pretty tired.  We got a quick dinner and got things organized for our trip the next day.  We double checked on the ferry, since you have to 'reserve' space ahead of time.  It was approximately $150.00 for the round trip ticket for the two of us and our rental car.

Pardon the blurry picture- we were moving and I just wanted to capture the journey

We drove from Manchester, NH to Woods Hole, Mass. where we met the 45 minute ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard....see the white picket fences?? I'm already having fun!

As you can see, the trees  n this part of New England had not yet changed

Things were still mostly 'green' here in Manchester, NH....through Boston, Massachusetts....and to Woods Hole, Massachusetts.  There were a few yellows, but for the most part, things were basically green.  This is STILL a good thing, however, because Colorado has a lot of brown.  Our green comes from the pine trees that grow in the mountains.

There it was....the ferry landing!

It was approximately 2 hours to drive to Woods Hole; there were some slow spots near Boston, and some downpours along the way. We got to the ferry early and went about the little town to find something to eat that was light and tasty.  We found an organic bakery and coffee roaster and stepped inside. It's called 'Pie in the Sky' Bakery.  A chalkboard with hand-written choices is always a winner with me.....a lentil spinach soup and some organic coffee with extra cream.  Yummy....somehow, the chill was removed as the warm soup and coffee permeated my soul.  

Fair-traded Organic coffees, soups, sandwiches, and yummy sweet treats!

I ALWAYS love a menu written on a chalkboard- it makes me feel like they only put up there what is fresh.  I could be wrong, of course, but I would like to believe that and be 'charmed' by the magic of ordering from a hand-written menu on a chalkboard in a cute little shop such as this.  

yes, they had LOTS of home-baked pies and desserts!

The soup and coffee really hit the spot on this rainy, windy day!

After we bussed our table, we got back into the car and went back to our 'row' in the ferry line order.  Luckily, our 'boat' was actually called 'Martha's Vineyard.'  At this point, I'm almost giddy.....I'm almost there!

here we go! We're driving onto the ferry! 

We were getting closer!!

                                                                            

  On board, I took a penny from my wallet and 'squished' it in the penny rolling machine.  My middle daughter collects stamped/pressed pennies, and when I saw the hand-cranked machine on board, off I went to claim my first tourist attraction souvenir!

51 cents for a Martha's Vineyard steamship souvenir!

A few brave souls stood or sat out front, but the strong chilly wind kept me inside during the ride over...but as we got closer, I could no longer sit in my seat.  My face was nearly pressed to the windows as the 'island' got closer and closer. 

There it is! Martha's Vineyard is now only minutes away!

                                                                                                                                    

As fate would have it, we were the last car to exit the ferry....but as we did, I saw the flags, the street lights, and the island before me.....two days in a place I had only dreamed about.....and now I was right there!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                      

There it is....right before us!

                                                                                                        

Martha's Vineyard is gorgeous! It's a mix of old and new.  It's narrow streets remind me of Europe and the brick sidewalks are perfectly charming.  The white fences, the manicured lawns, the light houses....it's all very special and I'm blessed to be here!  As an aspiring innkeeper, seeing the inns and staying in many of them is a great learning experience.  How rooms are designed, how innkeepers work, how breakfasts are served....all part of our learning.  I typically ask lots of questions and listen with customer AND innkeeper ears.  I see the experience from both perspectives and through this learn what we will and will not do in ours.  Our first inn was the Crocker House Inn, but first, I just had to drive around a bit and take it all in......

Even though I didn't read this information until AFTER we left Martha's Vineyard, ABC did a 'report' on things to do there and inexpensive options to try.  If you'd like to read it: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/marthas-vineyard-budget-travel/story?id=11756097&page=2

Martha's Vineyard, Part II will continue on my next blog, where I'll discuss the inn, where we ate, what we saw, and my recommendations for this lovely little island off the coast of Massachusetts. I'd LOVE to hear your comments....please subscribe to my blog, tell your friends, and tell me about YOUR blog....I'd love to get to know you better!! 

                                    

Fat Burning Foods? Really?? Who says??

I'm always reading articles in magazines, health journals, and books about healthy foods, supplements, and vitamins.  My father died at a very early age of heart disease, so I've always felt very aware of the importance of good nutrition, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle.  

I struggle, however, with the information I find sometimes because much of it conflicts with other information I read.  

For Example, I did a search on the top 5 healthy fat burning foods and got about 10 different answers!

So, what DOES work?  In my humble and un-medically trained opinion, I think it's different for everyone.  Some people need a gluten-free diet.  Some people need a sugar-free diet.  Some people have a higher metabolism than others - 

The answer lies somewhere between you, your doctor and/or nutritionist, and your lifestyle.  But I DO BELIEVE in reading ingredients labels on products- you'd be surprised how many 'unnecessary' and 'unhealthy' ingredients are in foods- be an educated consumer and choose the freshest foods you can find.  Buy local.  Choose organic/pesticide free foods whenever possible, and listen to your body!

The following article comes from: http://life.gaiam.com/article/top-5-fat-burning-foods

Before you go out shopping for fat-burning foods, you should know about the "thermic effect." The thermic effect is used to describe the energy the body uses in order to eat and process foods. Everything we do in our day-to-day lives uses energy, and that energy is what burns calories. Processing protein eats up the most calories, as it causes your body to burn hotter, helping you drop pounds.

Choosing a combination of low-fat, high-protein foods will give you the best results. Some examples include poultry,fish and egg whites. Some types of fish, like tuna, cod and halibut, have less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than meats and poultry.

Other kinds of foods you will want to focus on are catabolic foods. Catabolic foods are those that burn up more calories than they supply. For example, a medium-sized apple has about 85 calories, yet you burn up 99 calories when you eat it. Apples are great catabolic foods.

Some examples of catabolic fruits are grapefruit, strawberries, plums, watermelon and pineapple. For catabolic vegetables, try tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, spinach and broccoli.

Need a cheat sheet? Here are five of the top fat-burning foods:

Onions and garlic

While you probably won't want to grab an onion and take a big bite, using onions as an ingredient in other dishes can help you burn fat. Garlic is great as well. Onions break up fat and increase metabolism, while garlic helps the body break down and flush fats from the body.

Cabbage

You've probably heard the fuss about the Cabbage Soup Diet, but what if you're not such a big fan of it? No worries — there are plenty of other ways to incorporate this fat burner into your diet. For instance, the next time you make a salad (which also makes the list of fat-burning foods), try adding some shredded raw cabbage to it. Cabbage contains sulfur and iodine, which cleanse the body of fat in areas like the intestines and stomach.

Coffee

According to Dr. Judith Stern of the University of California at Davis, coffee is known as a metabolic enhancer because it speeds up your metabolism, which helps your body burn those calories. Some say it can increase the amount of calories burned by as much as 10 percent. So enjoy that early morning cup of joe — it'll help you burn calories all day long. 

Hot peppers

According to researchers at Laval University in Canada, capsaicin, a chemical in jalapeño and cayenne peppers, provides stimulus to your body by releasing stress hormones.This in turn increases your metabolism and burns calories faster.

Soup

How about a bowl of soup? It's not just for sick days. Dr. John Foreyt of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found that people who eat a cup of soup prior to meals lose more weight than those who don't, and they also keep it off for longer periods.

The bottom line: As you choose foods for your fat-burning diet, focus on items low in calories and high in protein. Remember, protein causes your body to run hotter and burn calories at a faster rate. By incorporating a few key ingredients, you'll fit into those skinny jeans in no time!

In a similar article, there are 5 DIFFERENT TOP FOODS: 

This article comes from: http://www.truthaboutabs.com

The Top 5 Healthiest Fat-Burning Foods
(some may surprise you!)

If you want to lose body fat faster, try incorporating these 5 healthy super-foods into your diet & regular meal plans.

by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author - The Truth about Six Pack Abs

1.  Grass-fed beef or bison (NOT your typical grocery store beef!) - I know most people think that red meat is unhealthy for you, but that's because they don't understand how the health of the animal affects how healthy the meat is for consumption.  Keep this in mind -- "an unhealthy animal provides unhealthy meat, but a healthy animal provides healthy meat".

Typical beef or bison that you see at the grocery store is raised on grains such as corn and soybeans. Soy and corn are NOT the natural diet of cattle or bison, and therefore changes the chemical balance of fats and other nutrients in the beef or bison.  Grain-fed beef and bison is typically WAY too high in omega-6 fatty acids and WAY too low in omega-3 fatty acids.

On the other hand, grass-fed beef from cattle and buffalo (or bison) that were raised on the type of natural foods that they were meant to eat in nature (grass and other forage), have much higher levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and lower levels of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (that most people already eat way too much of) compared to grain fed beef or bison. 

Grass fed meats also typically contain up to 3 times the Vitamin E as in grain fed meats.

Not only that, but grass-fed meat from healthy cattle or bison also contain a special healthy fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in MUCH higher levels than grain-fed meat.  CLA has been proven in scientific studies in recent years to help in burning fat and building lean muscle (which can help you lose weight!).  These benefits are on top of the fact that grass-fed meats are some of the highest quality proteins that you can possibly eat... and this also aids in burning fat and building lean muscle.

Grass-fed meats are a little harder to find, but just ask your butcher or find a specialty grocery store and they usually have cuts available.  I've also found a good site to order grass-fed meats online - http://healthygrassfed.2ya.com

2.  Avocodos - Even though these are typically thought of as a "fatty food", it's all healthy fats!  Not only is this fruit super-high in mono-unsaturated fat, but also chock full of vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, and antioxidants. 

Also, I think guacamole (mashed avocados with garlic, onion, tomato, pepper, etc) is one of the most delicious toppings ever created, and you can be happy to know that it's also one of the healthiest toppings you can use on your foods.  Try sliced avocados or guacamole on sandwiches, burgers, scrambled eggs or omelets, in salads, or as a side to just about any meal.

The quality dose of healthy fats and other nutrition you get from avocados helps your body to maintain proper levels of hormones that help with fat loss and muscle building.  Also, since avocados are an extremely satiating food, eating them helps to reduce your appetite in the hours after your meal.  Say goodbye to junk food cravings and bring on that lean body!

3.  Whole Eggs, including the yolk (not just egg whites) - Most people know that eggs are one of the highest quality sources of protein.  However, most people don't know that the egg yolks are the healthiest part of the egg... that's where almost all of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (such as lutein) are found in eggs.

Egg Yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg. In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids.  Also, the protein of whole eggs is more bio-available than egg whites alone due to a more balanced amino acid profile that the yolks help to build.

Just make sure to choose free-range organic eggs instead of normal grocery store eggs.  Similar to the grass-fed beef scenerio, the nutrient content of the eggs and the balance between healthy omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (in excess) is controlled by the diet of the chickens. 

Chickens that are allowed to roam free outside and eat a more natural diet will give you healthier, more nutrient-rich eggs with a healthier fat balance compared with your typical grocery store eggs (that came from chickens fed nothing but soy and corn and crowded inside "egg factories" all day long).

4.  Nuts:  Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans, Macadamia, etc --  Yes, this is yet another "fatty food" that can actually help you burn fat!  Although nuts are generally between 75-90% fat in terms of a ratio of fat calories to total calories, this is another type of food that is all healthy fats, along with high levels of nutrition such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  Nuts are also a good source of fiber and protein, which of course, you know helps to control blood sugar and canaid in weight loss.

Nuts also help to maintain good levels of fat burning hormones in your body as well as helping to control appetite and cravings so that you essentially eat less calories overall, even though you're consuming a high-fat food.  My favorite healthy nuts are pecans, almonds, and walnuts, and by eating them in variety, you help to broaden the types of vitamins and minerals and also the balance of polyunsaturated to monounsaturated fats you obtain.

Try to find raw nuts instead of roasted nuts if you can, as it helps to maintain the quality and nutritional content of the healthy fats that you will eat.

Also, try to broaden your horizons beyond the typical peanut butter that most people eat, and try almond butter, pecan butter, or macadamia butter to add variety to your diet.

5.  Berries - including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and even the "exotic" Goji berry:  Berries are a powerhouse of nutrition... packed with vitamins and minerals, and also some of the best sources of antioxidants of any food in existance.  Berries also pack a healthy dose of fiber, which slows your carbohydrate absorption and digestion and controls your blood sugar levels to help prevent insulin spikes (which can stimulate fat gain).

Get creative and mix up your berry intake by using the basics -- blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries... but also get adventurous and give a more "exotic" berry a try, such as Goji berries (which are one of the most nutrient-dense berries on the planet).

I like to add berries to my yogurt and cottage cheese mixtures, as well as oatmeal or oat bran, salads, or just taking a bag of mixed berries and mixed nuts with me for the day as a mid-day healthy snack!

I hope you enjoyed this look at some of the healthiest fat-burning foods you can possibly eat.  I could list a ton more, but wanted to give you my favorites for now!

Pretty confusing, huh?  I agree!!

Going to Paris without leaving California!!

As an aspiring innkeeper, one of the things I would love to do with our inn is to create an afternoon tea event.  Tea, in general, will always be available for breakfast and throughout the day, but I'd also like to have tea for guests and serve finger sandwiches and fancy desserts as part of a once-a-month 'event' of sorts.  One of the ways I've approached my research is to go to as many afternoon 'teas' as I possibly can and see how they're done and what I like and don't like about each of them.

Last week, my daughter and I visited Paris in a Cup, in Old Town Orange, California.  Old Town Orange is an exemplary location....it is the home of The Perfect Circle Cupcakery, known for its presence on Cupcake Wars on the Food Network AND the home of Heavenly Hostess aprons.  I will talk about these in a future blog.  For now, I want to concentrate on this gem of a tearoom.  I've been here twice now in two different years, so I can tell you that I just didn't visit on a 'good day.'  All days at Paris in a Cup are incredible!

Let's start with the exterior.  Paris in a Cup is located on the main street of Old Town Orange--it's surrounded by lovely eateries, antique stores, and the entire place will just take you back about 50 years...it's charming, to say the least.

outdoor seating in very French black and white damask

the front window is filled with goodies to entice you and draw you inside!

Once you're inside, the front part of the 'tea salon' as they call it, is filled with everything that is 'tea' related....from handkerchiefs that have the 'the tower' on them to sugar cubes to jewelry to some of the very teas that they serve in the restaurant.  There are sample 'jars' to sniff....and some are simply amazing!

this pomegranate infused black tea was out of this world!

Right in front, they have a glass case that is home to their scrumptious macarons! A macaron is a small cookie made almost entirely of eggwhites and sugar.  It is then baked and filled with a variety of fillings from custard to ganache.  Some are tart and fruity while others are rich and chocolatey.  Each are $2.00 and are baked offsite by a French pasty chef who ONLY bakes for Paris in a Cup.  We were told he literally bakes thousands each year and many are oftentimes ordered for weddings.  He even does a macaron 'tree' for special occasions.  They are delicious and beautiful!

The macarons can be seen on the top shelf...very hard to resist!

The menu is extensive and includes homemade soups and breads.  The salads are fresh and bountiful and delightfully prepared with slivers of almonds, nuggets of blue cheese, or fresh berries, depending on which kind of salad you order.  Sandwiches are oftentimes served on fresh croissants that are flaky, buttery, and flavorful.  Of course, a never-ending pot of tea accompanies most of the selections and they have many fine teas from which to choose. Some of their best teas include: Harney & Sons, Mighty Leaf, Dammann Freres, and Republic of Tea.  They also carry their own signature line of quality loose teas.  

There is an a la carte menu as well

We have had several of their soups, sandwiches and salads and I can honestly say that all were absolutely delicous! The decor is luxurious and you'll feel pampered by the waitresses who wear Heavenly Hostess aprons while serving you! When we were there, the tea salon was bejeweled with glittery pumpkins and Fall decor....and even the bathrooms are elegant and refined!

the muted tones with white linens and tableware are simply elegant!

Paris in a Cup is a special treat.  While were were there, two birthday parties were being served and the women were all smiles as they opened gifts, chatted, and sipped delicious tea!

We will definitely go back......Merci Beaucoup Paris in a Cup for a delightful lunch....until we meet again!

The grand parlor doors separate the dining room from the gift shop in front

Paris in a Cup is at 119 South Glassell Street, Old Town Orange (714) 538-9411