At George Ranch Historical Park, you can learn about Texas Longhorns up close and personal. Despite the intimidating horns (on both males and females), longhorns are pretty calm. It is fun to get the chance to pet them, and to see the cowboys work, but my favorite part was the dipping vat.
In the 1940s an effort was made in Texas to eliminate a tick which the longhorns were immune to, but which killed off other cattle in the stockyards up north. They led the cattle to a dipping bath deep enough that they had to swim. The bath includes a very low concentration of arsenic, just enough to keep the tick from reproducing.
If you make it to George Ranch, save time to see the cattle – and don’t stand too close to the vat!
I really enjoyed our half-day on Mount Desert Island: it was such a beautiful place! We bought a car pass to Acadia National Park at the Visitor Center, and were excited to learn that it lasts for 7 days, so we can use it again on our return trip.
If you’re driving in the area and don’t have much time, the view from Beaver Point was stunning, even from the car. Imagine golden rays of late afternoon sunlight illuminating the spray from waves smashing against granite cliffs…
I’ve heard that Cadillac Mountain is a must-see for its views of the island. (It is the highest point on the Atlantic Coast!) Today, it was enveloped in clouds, so as we walked around were completely isolated from the rest of the world. I think the mountain is a must see on a cloudy day just for that experience.
Sur de Mont hosts both a spring and a garden that showcases all the different types of plants that live in the park. I learned that the tiny Harebell flowers are in season.
The Zen Garden within the Azalea Garden.
Asticou Azalea Garden is a Japanese style garden on the island, and is a very peaceful spot.
Finally, I want to want to mention 86 This, a burrito place in Ellsworth which would be a perfect place to stop on your way there or back. Try the Yam I Am.
Part of combo plate 1 from St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church: Fatoosh, Falafel, Hummus, and Pita. The falafel is fresh cooked and the fatoosh is super good.
Fried Noodles
Samosa from the Seed – it’s got a kick.
Sweet sticky rice. The outside part is made of sticky rice flour, and it is almost impossibly sticky. The inside was super sweet and coconut flavored.
Shwe Kyi, an awesome semolina dessert with coconut.
The Lowell Folk Festival is a melting pot of street food. Here are our reviews, from the delicious to the meh.
Matt had one of the best gyros he’s had, from the booth by the Hellenic American Academy PTA. He ate it all before I could snap a photo!
I really liked the fried noodles from the
WAT LAO Mixayaram Temple. They had fresh cilantro and bean sprouts, strips of egg, and a tasty sauce. Amazing for $3!
We tried an ice cream from a food truck that you can buy from the grocery store. The brand is called batch. We tried the green tea and ginger flavors, which go well together, but the ginger was the one that really shined for me.
Shwe Kyi was a coconut based Burmese dessert that we tried and really enjoyed. We also got a sweet sticky rice from the Overseas Burmese Christian Fellowship, which requires skill to eat.
Don’t bother getting a raspberry lime rickey or lemonade that isn’t fresh squeezed; neither are worth it. I wish there were a booth selling horchata!
The Lowell Folk Festival is a free 3-day International Music Festival that takes over downtown Lowell for a weekend every summer, and if you are in the area I strongly encourage you to check it out!
The music plays on 5 stages, and we saw and heard Taiko drumming, Egyptian music and dancing, and Moroccan trance music, Bachata, go-go, bluegrass, and Irish Folk. They have much more. One of the stages is a dedicated dance pavilion. The streets downtown are closed to cars, and everyone is out walking around. Lots of businesses have special offers, there are free giveaways and coupons from different companies, and there are beer tents for those who are inclined.
Saturday schedule for the Dance Pavilion
If you are like me, you’re wondering about the food at the festival, and there’s good news: There is a huge amount of delicious ethnic food available throughout the festival, which different nonprofits use as a fundraiser- check out our reviews in a separate post.
Logistics:
If you are driving, there are a number of city lots near the festival with parking, or you can arrive early and grab street parking, or take advantage of the public transit and take the bus. I saw some people with bikes and skateboads, but the crowd can be hard to navigate through.
There’s seating at most of the stages but if you want to be sure, bring your own. Blankets work at some of the stages and low lawn chairs would work at all of them. I spotted someone with a tiny folding stool, which looked awesome for this event.
Bring cash for food, CDs, and parking. Wear sunscreen, and a hat if you need more sun protection. Your shoes need to be comfortable enough for some serious walking, and dancing if the music strikes you. If you choose to donate to the festival, they’ll give you a set of beads.
This event caters to families and pet owners. There’s face painting and crafts in addition to the music fun.
Stages:
Dutton St Dance Pavilion is my favorite location for the festival, and if I could resist wandering around and trying to see everything, it is where I would stake out. Everything is under a huge tent, so you have some protection from the sun. They also pick bands that play danceable music; the crowd is filled with energy and even if you don’t want to dance the music will get your toes tapping! Finally, the people watching is fun.
St. Anne’s churchyard and Market St stage are both smaller grassy areas.
I drink lots of varieties of tea, and love to try new and different flavors – but there is a piece of my heart that is forever reserved for the British teas.
Today I’m drinking the Fountain Blend by Fortnum & Mason (Piccadilly since 1707!). On the bag, it says “Light and Informal”, and I would agree that this tea is quite delicate. I really like the way this tea hints at the rich powerful flavor that black tea can provide, but stays mild and soft. Try it if you’re interested in black tea but usually find it too intense.
Preparation: If you are a person who likes a sweeter tea, avoid honey or agave with this one – their flavors will overpower the tea. Go with sugar, and try adding less than normal (or maybe even no sugar at all?) I’d make the same judgement regarding milk – I think this tea tastes best on its own, brewed light.
I love corn. In my travels, I’ve been lucky enough to find street vendors that sell cobs, and lots of dishes that make use of whole or ground kernels. I think that my absolute favorite way to eat corn on the cob is grilled. Here’s how I do it at home:
Grill the corn until quite a number of the kernels are toasty medium brown, and starting to get soft. Then put them in a foil pouch with a bit of butter on top, and let them steam for a while (~15 minutes) in the bag. To finish it off for serving, butter the rest of the corn and then drizzle honey on top.
The corn ends up taking on some of the grill flavor, is soft enough to comfortably munch through but has a firmer texture than boiled or steamed corn, and the honey brings the dish to perfection. Let me know if you try it, and what you think!
the mint tea drinkers society 