Sweet Tooth Haven

Lilliputian Houses

My sister and I stayed the night in a miniature house at a campsite near Lake Manapouri in New Zealand and thought it was cooler than sliced bread.  I'm not sure of the square footage, but I was reminded of it today when I read The Next Little Thing? in today's New York Times.  We were completely enamoured with the house even though it didn't have it's own bathroom.  The camp owner's son built it and the details in the woodwork were lovely.  I'm not sure how I'd manage living in one as my sole residence, but I like the focus on smaller houses.  Some people are out of control!  A few houses down from my older sister is a house built for 2 people that is about 10,000 square feet.  Is that really necessary?  This is the house in New Zealand.  Isn't it adorable? 

You could climb a ladder and stick your head out the the "chimney!"

 

Vacation Round Up

I spent the last 2 weeks visiting family.  First I spent a few days vising my sister who recently moved to Chicago.  Although I've been through the airport many times, this was my first time actually in the city.  We went on the Riverboat Tour by the Chicago Architecture Foundation's boat tour.  This would have been fabulous if we weren't so miserable from the heat.  We walked through Millennium Park where we took pictures in the bean and cooled our feet in a fountain on our way to Taste of Chicago where we ate, and ate, and ate. 

The next day was much cooler and we breezed through the Art Institute and Field Museum then did some window shopping.  I should have taken more pictures, especially of the delicious food we ate, but here's a glimpse of what I saw.

My sister and I drove down to Kentucky to see more of our family and although she had to return the next day, I stayed another week.  One of my favorite places to eat when I'm in Kentucky is Lynn's Paradise Cafe in Louisville.  Here's my youngest sister, the tomato.

 

Take a Peek Across the Pond

Did you know there is a tunnel under the ocean from New York to London that lets you view people on the other end while they can see you as well?  Apparently the idea was begun in Victorian times and just reached completion.  It's called the Telectroscope.  The art work and background story detailing the design are completely fabulous. 

I'm not even that disappointed that it's not actually a real tunnel but a working broadband link conceived of by artist Paul St George.  I only wish it was a permanent fixture and not ending on June 15, 2008.  If you live in or plan to visit New York or London in the next month, take a peek for me.  Pick me up a souvenier box while you are at it!

Link to Telectroscope

CNN article

Goodbye Wawbeek!

When writing my post about Lake Champlain Chocolates, I discovered that the site of my sister's wedding that led to the Amazing Chocolate Discovery is closing this October.  If you want to see some beautiful fall foliage and can take a trip to upstate New York by October 13, I recommend the Wawbeek Inn.  We had the entire place booked for the wedding and filled with guests. Even in the constant drizzle, it was a gorgeous setting.  The staff was fabulous and the food delicious.  Go for a canoe ride or get cozy by a fire and enjoy the view.  Too sad....I wonder what's to become of it.

Lake Champlain Chocolates

Two years ago this October, my sister got married at The Wawbeek Inn at Lake Saranac in upstate New York.  We decided to fly into Burlington, Vermont to stay overnight before taking the ferry across Lake Champlain into New York. 

While looking through a guide to the Burlington area, I noticed there was a chocolate factory.  I had never heard of Lake Champlain Chocolates, but the idea of factory tour and samples drew me in.  Unlike Rebecca-Ruth, the tour was more a history of chocolate than a trip into the actual factory.  Despite our disappointment with the 'tour', the factory store was well-worth our time.  The only problem was deciding what to get. The section of factory seconds provided a less expensive way of getting more variety.  Everything we got was delicious, and each of us had our own favorites.

Three days later when we were heading home, the taste of the chocolates was a distant memory.  There was no option but to stop by for more.  When I got home and my chocolates had disappeared, imagine how surprised I was to see an entire display of Lake Champlain Chocolates at the Whole Foods Market.  How could I not have noticed this before?  More common than not, I return from grocery shopping with at least one bar of chocolate.  Today's choice was the milk chocolate caramel you see above.  Yummy!

Cooking in Paris

If you've ever thought about going to Paris for cooking classes but were worried about having time to explore Paris, read the New York Times article, "Learning to Cook, With Time Left to See Paris."    Don't forget to check out the Paris Travel Guide before you go.

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