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Lisa’s favorite place(s)

Lisa’s favorite place(s)

The question we’re most often asked is: “What was your favorite place?” This question is impossible to answer, because we didn’t have one favorite place. I usually reply by listing a few places I loved, then pretty soon I find myself throwing out just about every single 

So, I’m trying to think of a clever title for this post about gorges near Ithaca…

So, I’m trying to think of a clever title for this post about gorges near Ithaca…

That’s what everyone says, right — “Ithaca is Gorges.” We have, at last count, three items in our (downsized) house that bear those three words. You can’t go anywhere here without seeing these three words stamped or printed or carved on every object imaginable. The 

Bathrooms: A How To Guide

Bathrooms: A How To Guide

Why is it that people feel the need to post signs in restrooms telling you how to use the bathroom? We spotted so many — here are some of my favorites. 1. Rest area in Oklahoma: 2. Passive-aggressive note in a coffee shop in northern 

Gift Ideas for Travelers and Vagabonds

Gift Ideas for Travelers and Vagabonds

It’s coming up on the holiday season. The Black Friday Christmas buying binge is about to begin. It’s a difficult time of the year to be anti-stuff. But some stuff can save you money, make you more mobile, and help you travel. This is that 

Ithaca Food, Ten Years Later

Ithaca Food, Ten Years Later

This weekend, we were at Just a Taste in Ithaca and we thought we recognized our waitress. “Have you worked here for a while,” I asked. “Yeah. A loooooong time,” she said. “Like ten years? We haven’t been here for ten years and you look 

So Far, Not So Smooth

So Far, Not So Smooth

Our re-introduction to non-transient society has not been smooth. We arrived in Trumansburg on Friday to find our place still under construction (wet carpet, wet paint, wet roof). We ended up camping in the Finger Lakes National Forest instead, where we had our first rowdy 

barVino: The Coolest Place North of I-90 in New York

barVino: The Coolest Place North of I-90 in New York

In the sleepy Adirondack town of North Creek, there’s a new restaurant. It’s called barVino (lowercase ‘b’ and uppercase ‘V’ and all one word). They have live music every Wednesday, a great wine list, and a tasty beer list. They also serve delicious food. After visiting one 

“Montreal Style” Pizza at Ottawa’s Big Rig Brewery

“Montreal Style” Pizza at Ottawa’s Big Rig Brewery

After an afternoon at our local IKEA … in Ontario, Canada (Ottawa, to be exact), we were in need of a beer and a bite. Big Rig Brewery promised both. First: the beer. I got the sampler (Golden, Red, IPA, Stout). Lisa ordered a pint 

In Canada, ALL Booze is Expensive

In Canada, ALL Booze is Expensive

When we were in London, we noticed UK booze was pricey, wine and liquor especially. Cider and beer was a bit more in line with our expectations. Then we visited Canada, Ottawa specifically. OMFG. Look at these pics from the state (province?) liquor store (note the 

The Ultimate packing list: what you need (and don’t need) to live in a van for a year

The Ultimate packing list: what you need (and don’t need) to live in a van for a year

We’ve unloaded our van and turned it back into a normal passenger vehicle. It’s terrible. It seems so strange to drive around in a normal minivan — I imagine it’s similar to how you’d feel if you dyed your bright blue hair back to black 

The Ride Across (Driving from Chicago to Ithaca in a Penske Truck)

The Ride Across (Driving from Chicago to Ithaca in a Penske Truck)

If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you know that Lisa does something like 98% of the driving. She’s a pro. And she gets carsick when I (reluctantly, of course) volunteer to drive the winding, fun roads. We’ve put 35,000 miles on our van 

Our collective photo-assisted memories

Our collective photo-assisted memories

Upon hearing of our impending move to the Ithaca area, one of our college buddies shared a story from the New York Times about the decline of the college bar scene in places like Ithaca. According to the author, students aren’t drinking less, they’re just