OhMyGawd...CAPE COD

Two years ago, Momma Ginger and Poppa Ginger relocated to the East Coast to tackle one last project before retiring.  Luckily for (Baby) Ginger and The Professor, the parental units landed on the shores of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  Next door to the well-known Hyannis, the Craigville Retreat Center sits just 40 steps from the powdery sands of the Nantucket Sound.

The Village of Craigville, where the retreat center is located, was established in 1871 and for a Northern California girl it is a welcomed and unexpected step back in time to historic shingled cottages and authentic gingerbread homes sited around lush greens.  A lily-padded pond, officially named 'Lake Elizabeth' hugs the east side of the village and wild wetlands flow off to the west.  The hearty accents noted in the 'hellos' offered by year-round residents are as authentically thick as the tufts of indigenous fauna anchoring this lovely piece of land.

This protected little village has been thoughtfully stashed away--staying secluded and unspoiled from the trends of time and greedy exploitation.  After traveling the whole way around the globe, finding an accessible retreat that's affordable, peacefully navigable, and not overrun by Starbuck-sipping tourists or man-bun bearing tech bros, feels like finding the Mona Lisa at Goodwill.

Also a huge score, are the Lodge, Manor, and cottages that comprise the accommodations of this property.  Refreshingly, the buildings are well kept and have that scent of centuries by the seaside.  The paint on the hand-hewn window sills is so thick from countless coats over the years it should have its own historical plaque.  New money, this is not.  Being able to sleep in these lovely old buildings is a true treat.

Nightly suppers have been dreamed up and concocted by The Professor each and every night.  Daily trips to local fish markets like Osterville Too and Cape Fish & Lobster have provided this crew of five (Momma & Poppa Ginger, Auntie Ginger, and the two of us) with the most decadent and delicious fares so fantastic not even Gordon Ramsey could conjure a snarky remark.  Stores like Barnstable Market in Barnstable Village have kept us flush with Kobe beef hotdogs, lobster mac and cheese from the hot bar, and for a little taste of home, some Cypress Grove Purple Haze.

In between the meal prepping and daily trips to the beach, the Professor has been able to brush up on his mad piano skills by shedding in the historic tabernacle situated on the North side of the village. All this playing will no doubt whip him into perfect shape for his two upcoming gigs this weekend at the Big Easy in Petaluma and the Gun Club in Geyserville.

The Ginger, you'll be relieved to know, has been devouring classics like A Streetcar Named Desire and The Red Badge of Courage.  On the side, she's farmed a few new freckles, courtesy of sunning between the hours of 4:45 PM and 6:00 PM.

The Manor at Craigville Retreat Center.  Our bedroom is in the upper right turret and overlooks the sea.  

The sun setting over the wetlands.

A gorgeously adorned estate in the Village of Craigville.

Most homes in the Village are decorated with patriotic pride.

A slender gingerbread home in the Village.

Lovely French-blue shutters adorned by gold seashells.

Natural shingle siding and violet hydrangeas are standard fare throughout the Cape.

Auntie Ginger walking through the "Midway" in the Village.

The warm sun setting over the tennis courts.

No Restaurant? No Problem!

Drivin' Along in the Automobile.

Sometimes, you're day-tripping around Southern Louisiana and you stumble upon this little roadside shack.  Never mind that you're headed to a fancy-schmancy ol' plantation like Oak Alley:

This Particular Place to Go.

You're hungry.  And that drive-thru daiquiri stand didn't quite fill yo' belly.  So, what do you do?  You go in, saddle-up, and throw down for a bag of some locally cooked crab at Chenier's Seafood Market.  Only, they ain't got no tables.  Or bibs.  Or showers.  But hey, you've got the trunk of your rental car--and those Burt's Bees wipes that have been in your bag since heaven knows when.  Hence, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, the Professor in true full-feed-fashion:

The Professor Finds the Trunk Works Just Fine.

Here's a close-up for you crab-lovin' carnivores:

These are Clearly the Star of the Show.

Not a crab-a-tarian?  That's cool.  Here's the vegetarian option that the Ginger went with:

…Vegetarian Delight.

That's a classy meal right there, a sweet potato pie and a Coors wrapped in a small, thin, brown, paper sack.  But for a home-grown girl who doesn't much care for fancy food, it's perfect.  Please visit these folks.  They're sweet and they sure serve up some scrumptious vittles.

xoxo…Ginger

The #1 Reason You'll See Me in Sweatpants...

Frank Brigtsen & Ginger

Okay, so maybe it's more like the 23 reasons you'll be seeing me in sweatpants, but here ya go:

Tuesday, the Professor and I flew into a little town called "New Orleans."  Now, we've been here before, but seeing how I nearly had to check myself into a hospital after the second day of my first trip, we've slowed our roll a bit.  But clearly not too much.

First up…cooking lessons with THE Frank Brigtsen.  What a doll of a man.  And he kinda nails it in on the six-burner.

Base of Corn & Crab Soup -- Note the Turkish Bay Leaf.

Now With the Cream.

Cookin' Da Crab.

Chef Showcasing the Perfectly Sliced Eggplant.

Making Biscuits?  Freeze the Butter and Grate it.

Presentation Side Down for the Stuffed Fish.

Strawberry Sauce Sans Seeds.

Dessert is Served--Red, White, & Blue Shortcake.

If you wanna take cooking lessons with Chef Brigtsen, just go here; New Orleans School of Cooking.  Or, better yet, just go to Brigtsen's.

Up next, no restaurant?  No problem.  That trunk of your rental car will work just fine.

What I learned in 2013

I learned that it’s possible to flush the back of my dress down the toilet—and still go out and have a great time.  I learned that I can live for 5 months with just one pair of jeans, three shirts, two sweaters, one swimsuit, and one pair of shoes.  I learned that snow monkeys have no problem taking on someone 10 times their size.  Twice.  I learned that elephants like to cuddle.  That bugs really don’t taste that much differently than any other cooked animal.  I learned that perfect isn’t better, that messy is okay, and disasters can sometimes be fantastic.  A seven year-old taught me that I should try everything at least once and that when I offer something to someone, it’s better to say, “Please have some.”  I learned that lipstick can dress up a pair of dirty jeans like nobody’s business.  I learned that Bangkok hospitals are a great place to be sick.  I learned that if you want to get to know a culture quickly—shop at a local market.  I found that some toothless smiles are more beautiful than any found in Hollywood.  Along with a smile, I learned that doing charades is the best way to communicate when you don’t know the language.  I also learned that it’s okay if people are doubled over laughing at your miming of a ‘fast-train’ as long as you make it to the station on time.  I learned that a hole in the ground, in lieu of a toilet, isn’t the worst thing in the world when things go south.  I learned that fancy Japanese toilets, although fun, can be very confusing.  I found out that sometimes you need to look up to find out where you are.  I learned that smart-phones aren’t that smart and good old-fashioned maps can double for toilet paper.  I learned that it’s best to think of harrowing taxi/bus/tuc-tuc rides as just another feature in the amusement park of life.  I learned that turbulence isn’t going to make the plan crash and that pilots generally know what they’re doing.  I learned that a shot of whiskey is sometimes the best medicine.  And so is a hug.  I learned that shaving is a luxury and nothing beats a good teeth-brushing when you’ve been up for two days straight.  I learned that everyone should spend at least one night without somewhere to sleep.  I found out that water buffalo make the best yogurt and that they’re not too keen on being photographed.  But mostly, mostly what I learned through the toothless smiles, the cuddly elephants, and the 18-hour train rides is that you can see everything you want to, but if you don’t change because of what you see, you’re not really learning a damn thing.

What I hope to learn in 2014?  That I won the lottery and get to do this all over again. 

Shit gets weird(er) in Thailand...

With Naj, Nas, and Sori along, we did what we do best, rented scooters and set out for the best street food we could find.  Here's what we found:

I like to look my food in its face when I'm eating it.

The only time our Sori had a melt-down was when she was forbidden, by her father, to eat these cockroaches, maggots, and larvae.   Silly seven year-olds!

At the weekend market in Bangkok.

Naj & Roy enjoying a little street food.

You know those tiny little, helmeted, sand crabs that scurry away from you as you walk down the beach?  Well, these are those.  Wok-fried with garlic, and delicious.

The Salamati family on their scooter.

Naj & J 'bout to take down a few kilos of crab.

Roy buying our lunch at the Muslim fishermen's market in Pha Nga.  More crab.

J with the best pineapple EVER.

Sori finds, and inhales, some dried squid.

Notice what looks like books with yellow paper and black type?  Well, those aren't words, they're flies.

Super-duper yummy prehistoric local bay crab.  Eaten steamed, by the boatload, bayside.

The only non-locals enjoying this side-of-the-dirt road food hut.

Unequivocally, the BEST chicken I've ever had in my life.  Or should I say best 4 chickens.  We couldn't stop eating them.

Note: unfortunately, we have no photos of the Windham Hill reunion with Palo Alto alumnus, Mr. Michael Riley and his lovely wife Kay.  Michael left our little record label and ended up in Bangkok to manage the Tower Records location there many years ago.  It was an Asian treat to hang out with him after 15+ years.  Michael's chain of Bangkok smoothie shops is called "Twist" and they are mind bendingly delicious.  

The group grows larger...

We were joined by the only three people who might actually be as crazy as we are--Naj, Nas, and Sori, the seven year-old, included.

At Nishiki Market--While the rest of the crew was off eating god-knows-what, I snuck off and enjoyed some black sesame ice cream.

This is Shigeharu (and Nas and Roy), Kyoto's most respected knife maker.  The better half of one day was spent tracking down this dude.  His knives are beautiful, made right where you see him standing, and are well worth the $120 it costs just to ship them home.

Then there's this crew of monkeys...

It was in Kyoto, Japan that we jumped on the crazy-train with Susan and Doug "The Triangulator" Provisor.  Here's SOME of what these guys made us eat.  At gunpoint.  With barking dogs at our heels.

The Restaurant:  245 Gion
The Food:          Mind blowing
The Mission:      Food Comas