I have visited approximately half of the presidential libraries and the Ronald Reagan Library located in Simi Valley California is my favorite one – so far. Both the permanent and traveling exhibits are impressive. Plus, it is located in a beautiful area of Simi Valley with spectacular mountain views from every direction. In addition, the library has the most friendly and helpful staff.
First, the library has the Air Force One plane that Reagan flew on as president. The plane was in service from 1973 to 2001 and Reagan flew on it the most out of the seven presidents who used this particular plane. It is impressively displayed in a glass structure and visitors can walk around and through the plane. One year, we even enjoyed a fun lunch during the Christmas season where the tables were set under Air Force One. The food was delicious and the table settings and decorations were perfect.
Speaking of Christmas, every year the library showcases an impressive number of beautifully decorated Christmas trees. This year, we enjoyed looking at 26 trees representing each decade in American history. Last year, the museum displayed trees for each Country that Reagan visited during his eight years in the White House.
The rotating exhibits are wonderful as well. Currently, the library is curating a fun cowboy themed exhibit. Past exhibits include: the FBI, Pompeii and Auschwitz.
Finally, no visit is complete without a visit to the gift shop. I never walk out empty-handed. I usually pick up a few fun Christmas tree ornaments. One year, I picked up a great book regarding the White House gingerbread houses.
Front Entrance From the Front of the Library Front Entrance Front Entrance The Current Exhibit Statue Outside the Front Doors Buffalo CoatCongressional Gold Medal for Louis L’AmourChuck Wagon Typical Western SaddlesChapsThe Evolution of the Cowboy Hat and Birth of the StetsonWild ChairCattle CarBranding Irons Including the One Used ByWill RogersThe History of the Branding Iron Barbed Wire Was Patented Modern Cattle Ranching Utilizes HelicoptersRodeo AttireReagan’s 1960 Jeep The Exhibit Has a Rifle Demo Yellowstone Television Series Costumes Wagon Trigger of Roy Rogers FameChristmas Tree in the Gift Shop – Ornaments for Sale A Piece of the Berlin Wall Inauguration Clothing for the Reagan’sNancy’s Second-Hand Rose Costume Clothes Worn by Nancy Sinatra Was a Huge Supporter In High School Nancy Starred in Her High School’s Play First Lady Air Force One Another View of Air Force One
This was my second visit to Amsterdam and it was even better than the first time. On my first visit, I winged it on my own. This time, we went on a two-day extension of our Viking River cruise . Our ship docked in Amsterdam and we immediately went on a 2 and 1/2 half-hour walking tour of the city.
We lucked out with our guide. He was extremely knowledgeable regarding the architecture styles of Amsterdam. Some of the highlights he showed us included the famous Skinny Bridge (which I remember from the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever), Rembrandt’s Square (where there are a ton of interesting restaurants as well as a plethora of pot cafes – strong aromas!) and the school where Anne and Margot Frank, as well as many other Jewish children, were segregated during WWII. Throughout our excursion, he made a point of showing us elaborate architectural details that other guides might ignore. Plus, he showed us an assortment of residential neighborhoods so that we really got a feel of how the locals live. Some of the building communities even have their own mini neighborhood libraries. Like many other cities, Amsterdam real estate is very expensive. Our guide showed us several very unimpressive house boats that recently sold for $1.5 million Euros. As the Realtors in California like to say – location, location!
We really enjoyed the local food, too. Amsterdam is a very damp city and cold during the winter months. I can see why the Dutch enjoy so much fried food. We loved the Olieballen served warm with powdered sugar and a drizzle of Nutella. We first tried the Bitterballen on our taste of Amsterdam tour. We liked this dish so much that we ordered it, again, at the Rijksmuseum’s cafe. The balls are a mixture of beef, beef stock, flour and seasoning covered in breadcrumbs and deep fried. Traditionally, you dip them in mustard.French fries are really popular and the city has numerous fast- food outlets selling them hot with mayonnaise slathered over them. Since neither of us really likes mayonnaise, we passed. That said, tons of the locals were buying them.
One of our favorite experiences was dinner at a Greek restaurant near our hotel. The Viking concierge recommended it and she was so right. My husband and I both thought it was the best Greek food we have ever eaten. The restaurant was owned by a Greek couple and the wife cooked everything from scratch.
While my husband John and I both have many more places we wish to visit, we can easily visualize another trip to Amsterdam in our future. Next time, we want to visit Amsterdam during tulip season.
Rembrandt Square – Decorated for Christmas The Famous Skinny Bridge Traditional Row Houses – Amsterdam is Slowly Sinking So These Are Leaning Fun Architectural DetailGraffiti Is Here, too.InterContinental Amstel Hotel Amsterdam Lobby of the InterContinentalThe Jewish School the Nazis Made All Jews Attend During WWII House Boats Sell for Over $1 Million Amazing Architectural Details Everywhere “Coffee” Bars Are Prevalent Around Rembrandt Square Olieballen Shop at Rembrandt SquareOlieballen VendorLocal Sweet Treat – OlieballenHistoric Art Deco Cinema Theater Lobby Local Cheese ShopGouda!Fun Architectural Detail In a Residential Neighborhood 1920s Worker Housing In De Waag Restaurant – Building Dates Back to 1488Beer at In de WaagBitterballen Interior of a Popular Dutch Pancake CafeDutch Pancakes Coffee and Stroopwafelsde Bijenkorf Department StoreChristmas Window Displays at de BijenkorfMore Holiday Window Displays Local Greek Restaurant Hubby Reading the Menu My EntreeAppetizer At Our Greek Restaurant Even in November, the City Has Flowers Bitterballen Snack Plate at the Rijksmuseum Rembrandt Square
Amsterdam truly has an amazing collection of museums. While in Amsterdam, we visited Rembrandt’s House, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House.
Rembrandt’s House was our first stop. Rembrandt spent the final years of his life in poverty with massive debts. To cover his debts, he was forced to sell his house in Amsterdam as well as all of his possessions. The detailed list is of his possessions is what makes the museum possible. The curators had a complete list of everything in the house. The house is spacious with both lots of living and working space. His studio is impressive with the massive windows that flood the room with light. He had a massive collection of everything from a stuffed alligator to unusual sea shells that he used for inspiration for his paintings. His enormous collection is partially responsible for his debt. Even as he struggled with paying his bills, he continued to acquire new items for his collection.
After spending the morning at Rembrandt’s House, we took the trolley to Museumplein. There we first visited the Museum of Contemporary Art. It was a real treat. It is located in a small art-deco building from the 1920s with a charming sculpture garden surrounding the museum. The exhibits included a fun Banksy exhibit downstairs and a star-studded exhibit upstairs including Keith Haring, Julian Opic and Jeff Koons.
Interestingly, it was the only museum where we did not need to buy tickets in advance. Over 20 years ago, on my first visit to Amsterdam, I was able to walk into Rembrandt’s House, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. Those days are long gone. We walked by the Van Gogh Museum and the line for those on standby was wrapped around the building.
For our next stop, we went to the Rijksmuseum where we had tickets. The museum let us in early and we had a fabulous lunch in the museum cafe. We sat next to a fun couple from Windsor England. They were on a cruise with a bus tour of Amsterdam and had a few hours off before returning to their ship. We shared travel stories and discussed our mutual dislike of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson . Upstairs in the Dutch Masters exhibit, we had another chat with a tourist from Toronto Canada. When people are on holiday, they are usually so relaxed and receptive to meeting new people.
The Dutch Masters collection is impressive. Having just visited Rembrandt’s House, it was fun to see the museum’s extensive number of Rembrandt paintings. The only disappointment is that The Night Watch by Rembrandt is undergoing an extensive restoration that is anticipated to take 10 to 15 years. The museum has hired 8 art restorers to undertake this impressive project. This project is being done in public and visitors are able to see the restoration work being done. The first stage is the painstaking process of removing the old varnish. As a reminder, this painting has been vandalized twice – including in 1975 when a deranged man slashed it with a bread knife.
Our final museum visit for the day was an evening visit to the Anne Frank House. The museum is so popular that it stays opened until 10 PM at night. Our tickets were for 7PM and the museum was filled with a combination of people from The Netherlands and around the world. Tickets are only released online 6 weeks prior to the desired date. I actually had to set my alarm for 2 AM on a particular Tuesday to purchase our tickets. When I successfully purchased our tickets, I felt like I had won the lottery. I had previously visited the museum over 20 years ago and a lot has changed. The audio guide is phenomenal as is the revised curation of the Frank hiding place. The tour includes great video clips of Otto Frank as well of the former employees who helped with the hiding process. There was also a temporary exhibit about Otto Frank’s experience traveling from the concentration camp back to Amsterdam. The museum is extremely poignant and worth visiting. As an FYI, no photos are allowed.
Rembrandt’s House Rembrandt’s House Standing in Front of Rembrandt’s House Kitchen At Rembrandt’s House Kitchen At Rembrandt’s House Foyer At Rembrandt’s House Main Reception Room At Rembrandt’s House Main Living Room At Rembrandt’s House Rembrandt’s Studio Rembrandt’s Studio One of the Box Beds in Rembrandt’s House when People Slept Sitting UpView of Rembrandt’s Studio Another View of Rembrandt’s Studio Lots of Steep Steps At Rembrandt’s House Teaching Studio Room At Rembrandt’s House Center Courtyard of Rembrandt’s House Rembrandt’s House Has A Great Audio Guide Museum of Contemporary Art in Amsterdam Courtyard Sculpture Exhibit At the Museum of Contemporary Art Garden At Museum of Contemporary Art in Amsterdam Interactive Sculpture At the Museum of Contemporary Art Part of the Museum’s Banksy Collection Art-Deco Detail of Museum of Contemporary Art in Amsterdam Art-Deco of Museum of Contemporary Art in Amsterdam Part of the Banksy Exhibit Banksy Created a Series of Gangster Rat Paintings Amazing Opic Sculpture Painting At the Museum of Contemporary Art Interactive Exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Interactive Exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary ArtInteractive Exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Front Exterior of the Rijksmuseum Exterior Front of the Rijksmuseum Restorer at Work on The Night WatchRestoration of The Night Watch Vermeer’s The Milkmaid from 1658Stained Glass Windows At the Rijksmuseum Stained Glass Windows At the Rijksmuseum Dutch Masters Section At the Rijksmuseum The Rijksmuseum Has a Beautiful Collection of Furniture This Is An actual Carved Coconut Salt Mills Beautiful Architecture At the Rijksmuseum Souvenir Water from the Rijksmuseum
We arrived in Passau early this morning. It’s a border town adjacent to Austria. The town has a population of 44,000 and we were able to tour the town in less than two hours.
Apparently, the town was in dire economic condition until a university was founded in town in 1973. It is the youngest university in the Bavarian region of Germany with a strong academic reputation. Today, it ranks in the top 30% of universities worldwide.
The real treat in town is the Baroque cathedral – Saint Stephen’s. The plaster workmanship inside the cathedral is impressive.
Before our visit, I knew nothing about Passau. John and I really enjoyed our brief time walking the cobblestone streets of this Bavarian town.
The Inn River View of Passau Original Salt TowerOur Group Walking Along the Inn River Bishop’s Residence Saint Stephen’s Exterior Adorable Pastry ShopHalloween Reaches PassauTypical Residential Housing Artist Section of PassauDas OberhausInformation Office with Water Flood Marks for Major FloodsOur new friends we met on our cruise Alter at Saint Stephen’s Cathedral Interior of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral Interior of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral Interior of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral Interior of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral This Cracked Us Up – A Texas Steak House in a tiny German Town
The only unfortunate part of my visit was that the palace is getting the site ready for the annual Christmas markets so the front area looked like it was partially under construction. That said, this is an amazing place to visit. My husband and I were totally enchanted. We have both visited many palaces, including Versailles, Buckingham and Windsor, this one really excited both of us.
The name of the palace translates to beautiful spring. Its location was chosen for access to fresh water when there were health concerns about the water near the winter palace. Both the location and look of the palace are impressive. This was the Habsburgs summer palace. When it was originally built, the location was in the remote countryside away from the city of Vienna and winter palace. Over the years, Vienna has expanded and the palace is in the city.
The Schonbrunn is Austria’s number one tourist destination and I understand why. It has something for everyone. It is popular with both Austrians and foreign visitors.
The palace itself is huge. In its heyday, it accommodated over 2,000 people. The royal apartment rooms are impressive. The palace even has the bed where Empress Maria Theresa delivered all of her 16 children. The Empress Elizabeth, known as Sisi, lived there, too. Lately, between recent books and the mini series about Sisi, there is a renewed interest in the Hapsburg dynasty.
Interestingly, the Austrian government actually rents out some of the apartments to people. Our tour guide knows someone who rents one of the apartments. In addition, we spotted a bride and groom with a photographer taking their wedding photos. As we were wrapping up our visit, people were getting one of the larger reception rooms ready for a music concert.
In addition to the extensive gardens, there is even a zoo on the palace grounds that dates back to 1752 and is the world’s oldest.
We spent several hours at the palace and were able to see everything we wanted to. The only thing we missed was enjoying coffee and cake at the cafe on site.
For our final dinner in Budapest, the head chef of the Viking Baldur, and his team, prepared a great menu featuring paprika. The salad was served with a delicious dressing which showcased paprika. The showcased entree was chicken and homemade spaetzle noodles served with peppers and a creamy paprika sauce.
For dessert, most of the table ordered the chocolate lava cake which was fantastic. I am a cheese monger when not on vacation so I had to try the cheese plate. I enjoyed it except for one detail. The crackers appeared to be Ritz crackers – really? What a disappointment! My husband roared with laughter; the rest of our table chuckled, too.
On a positive note, during our nightly presentation in the lounge, the chef offered us an amazing smoked salmon mini cone. Both my husband and I loved it.
Early this evening, we started sailing towards Vienna. I cannot wait to see what our chef comes up with. Stay tuned for more!
Fun smoked salmon tidbits served in the lounge Dinner Menu for Second Day Farm Salad with Paprika Dressing Chicken with Paprika Chocolate Lava Cake Cheese Plate
Today, while checking out Frogtown in Los Angeles, we stopped for lunch at Salazar. What a gem this place is.
Originally, this site was home to an automotive repair shop called Salazar. The restaurant opened in 2016. It’s an outdoor Mexican BBQ restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere . Even the salsa is made from scratch – starting with grilled tomatoes. The tacos were outstanding. The al pastor ones come with small pieces of grilled pineapple and a slight taste of heat.
Dessert options are limited but fantastic. The tres leche cake was probably the best version I have ever eaten. It even came with tiny bits of fresh peach. Our friend ordered the flan with blueberries; it looked exquisite.
It was a hot summer afternoon and we had a long drive home. Hence, we skipped ordering cocktails. However, the drink menu was impressive. The place does a great business and the staff is friendly and efficient. Our waiter was an actor from Argentina who shared great stories and made us feel so welcomed. Mexican food is plentiful in California but Salazar’s is special; both the food and atmosphere really stand out.
My only complaint is the parking. Frogtown is an older community with narrow streets and limited parking. We found street parking about half a block away on a busy street near the 5 on-ramp. Exiting was definitely an entertaining experience.
Salazar – An Amazing Restaurant in Frogtown.Homemade Salsa with Roasted Tomatoes Al Pastor & Carne AsadaMachas & Al PastorHuevos RancherosThe Famous Tres Leche CakeFlan With Blueberries The Bar Area
I finally figured out how to make the perfect savory-style baked Brie.
Prior to assembling, be sure to leave a roll of refrigerated Pillsbury pie crust out for 30 minutes to warm up. I have tried cheaper versions and they are not as good. Slightly warming the pie dough will make it much easier to handle. Also, preheat the oven to 400.
As with a traditional jam version, the Brie needs to be cut in half. With this recipe, I first spread a coat of tomato pesto followed by a tablespoon of chopped sun-dried tomato pieces (drain any oil from the sun-dried tomato). Then put the Brie back together.
Next, pull out the pie crust and use a small rolling pin to make the dough thinner. Wrap the Brie in pie crust. Trim away the excess – roughly 25% of the crust. Cover the top of the pie-crust covered brie with jarred pesto sauce. Barilla sells a creamy style version that I like.
Create a circle of crust, from the extra, that will fit over the Brie’s top. First, use a cookie cutter to cut a window in the center of the dough circle. I like to use a cutter in the shape of a tomato. Place the crust circle with window cut-out centered on top of the Brie. Smooth out the edges. With remaining pie crust, use very small cookie cutters to cut out a few shapes. Then, place these pieces around the Brie to make it look extra special.
Also, I like to sprinkle a handful of pine nuts on top of the exposed pesto as well as a few pieces of diced sun-dried tomato, too.
Finally, the Brie is ready to go into the preheated oven at 400 for 20 to 25 minutes. I use a glass Pyrex dish but a cookie sheet will work, too. Make sure that the Brie crust is a light brown before removing from the oven.
Share with family and friends – enjoy!
The Perfect Baked Brie with Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato and Pine NutsKey Ingredients and Steps to the baked Brie
Recently, my husband I tried the warm crab dip at The Prado restaurant in San Diego. Our waiter recommended it and he was spot on with his suggestion. The combination of flavors was fantastic.
Unlike other similar dips which combine sour cream or cream cheese with mayonnaise, this dip has a base of mascarpone cheese. Based on the menu, I knew the key ingredients but had to guess a few items as well. The crab dip I replicated at home is a masterpiece. My husband was in awe.
Ingredients are as follows:
Mascarpone cheese, small tub of crab claw meat, 2 cups fresh spinach, 1 poblano chili pepper, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/3 cup sherry & 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
The key thing is to melt the mascarpone at a very low temperature on the stove. If you melt the mascarpone at too high of a temperature, you will cause the cheese to separate. This dip is great warm and does not to be scalding hot.
Step 1 – Roast the poblano chili. I cooked mine for 10 minutes ub the air fryer at 400.
Step 2 – Saute the fresh spinach in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a light sprinkle of salt and black pepper.
Step 3 – Start melting the mascarpone in a sauce pan. Add in the wilted spinach and roasted poblano chile (dice first). Add in Worcestershire sauce and sherry. Constantly stir the mixture as the Mascarpone softens. Add in the Parmesan and Dijon mustard. Keep stiring and add in the crab meat, too. Keep stirring. The dip will be warm but not scalding hot.
I served the dip in a bowl with a basket of toasted French bread that I cut up into smaller pieces. Prior to toasting the bread in the broiler, on low, I spread both sides of my halved bread with light coating of garlic and herb compound butter.
This dip can also be made in advance and reheated. I had leftover dip which I stored in a glass container and reheated two days later.
The Prado Crab Dip on the Left & Mine on the Right
The Neon Museum in Las Vegas is one of those museums that appeals to everyone. For years, I have seen photos and heard great stories about it. Finally, my husband and I recently visited the place. The Neon Boneyard does not disappoint.
The museum, founded in 1996, is located in the downtown area in the lobby of the former La Concha Motel lobby and a surrounding 2.27 acre space. Naturally, it is a dream location for taking amazing selfies and so much more. The place reeks of old rat pack Las Vegas.
I highly recommend taking a docent tour. We learned so much. It turns out that the casinos did not own their elaborate neon signs. The signs were actually owned and serviced by companies such as the Young Electric Sign Company. Many of the signs were rescued from demolished casinos and then lovingly restored by the museum. Some of the signs go back to the 1930s and 1940s. The signs are named after neon gas which emits a red ish-orange color. However, other gases, such as argon, which reflects a blue light, are used as well. The average lifespan of a neon sign is between 8 and 15 years.
Fremont Street still has lots of neon signs but much of Las Vegas has switched to LED signs. LED is not only provides more energy efficiency but more creative opportunities…or so “they” say. That said, I am a fan of old school Vegas glitz and really loved my time at the Neon Boneyard.
The Iconic Hard Rock SignThe Museum Entrance – La Concha Motel Lobby
NO time for boredom today 