Monday, June 24, 2013

Vacation Ravioli's

It's time for another Menu Monday.  No I'm not telling you about a restaurant we liked during our travels, rather a good meal you can prepare..........perfect for when you have a kitchen in your travels.  We don't eat every meal out when we travel, we like to eat in; but we don't like to prepare things that take a lot of time, use a lot of ingredients.  We like to travel light.  The bulk of the time we travel we stay in villa/condo that has a kitchen.  Not only is it comfortable, but you save money in the end.  Eating out all the time is expensive!

Store bought ravioli's (these were 3 cheese), and a few fresh veggies, and you've got a yummy meal with minimal prep and cost.  Prepare the ravioli's per instructions on the package (except I've learned that it's best not to bring to a hard boil, a soft rolling boil is best, and I turn them off just before done and let them sit 30-45 seconds in the hot water before carefully removing.

Saute onions in a skillet with olive oil, add several hand fulls of spinach leaves, and once the spinach leaves reduce (about the same amount time your pasta is setting in the water), add sliced tomatoes (Roma's worked best, but any type will do)...stir lightly and add  ravioli's to mix...again softly.  Plate it, add pepper (fresh ground best), shaved walnuts or almonds or pine nuts, and serve with your favorite wine.  Pretty, tasty, and easy.

Enjoy, this is a favorite traveling meal.

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Monday, June 17, 2013

I Long to Visit Italy

The Italian countryside.  I'd love to be riding along on the back roads, stopping at various villages along the way to sample wine.  Today's blog prompt- blog about somewhere you'ld like to visit and or move too.  We'd like to visit Italy, and have begun a wee bit of travel planning with that in mind.
Join us at Paula's for the June Blog Challenge.  Click the badge to join in.
We hope to see plenty of the things other tourists see, but....we also hope to see a side of Italy those who tour quickly don't get to see.  Our hope is to be there for 3 weeks or more and really explore.

Certainly seeing the historic sites is a must, as long as plenty of time if left for food and wine!  We want to do some on our own and some with a tour group.  We may plan this trip for after retirement, we may not wait.


We've been saving our Marriott Rewards Points for years to make this all happen.

In the meantime, we'll enjoy traveling about the U.S., please use the search this blog area to find locations your interested in.  In addition to enjoying the U.S., we've have made multiple trips to Aruba, a real favorite so check that out too.

Currently we're planning trips to Park City, Utah (were we've been a number of times, Aruba again in the fall, Hilton Head in January (awesome time to go to get out of the snow in Ohio), and Spain in the Spring.

Come back often, I'm sure there's something here for everyone.  Menu Monday was postponed this week in favor of this fun blog challenge.  Do come back next week, if not before.

INVITING YOU ALL TO MEMORY MONDAYS, JOIN IN ON THE FUN AND GET SOME LINKY LOVE.  MAKE MONDAYS MORE FUN.  CLICK HERE.


Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.
(BL21, JC4)

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Whetstone Park of Roses

The well known and loved poem appears on this boulder in The Whetstone Park of Roses in Columbus, Ohio.  The Park of Roses is a beautiful spot to spend time, enjoy the walk, the scents of the many flowers...not just roses; as well as a place to host a wedding.  It's located in the center of The Whetstone Park at 3923 North High Street Columbus, Ohio  43214.

The Poem: In A Garden
The Kiss of the sun
For Pardon
The song of the birds
For mirth
One is nearer God's Heart
Then anywhere else
On Earth

A lovely poem.
 There are roses a plenty, in fact 11,000 rose bushes, though my last walk wasn't during their peak season, it was still very enjoyable and pretty.  There are rose specific areas, perineals, and herb gardens. 
 Some bushes were about to burst open
 others were on their way out.  The old fashions roses tend to be the earlier bloomers and smell heavenly as you walk.  The hybrids tend to bloom later.
 The Rose Park is free and open to the public.  It covers 13 acres.
In summer months on Sunday evenings you can enjoy various community music programs.  The park is one of the largest municipal rose gardens in the United States.  It began as a dream back in 1951 with members of both The Columbus Rose Club and The Central Ohio Rose Society with a committee included then mayor, James A Rhodes.  A name you probably know for a very sad event later when he was Governor and sent armed Reserves against the students on that fatal day at Kent State University.

In April of 1952 City Council passed an ordinance and issued bonds, obtained an architect, formed an advisory team and with the help of The Columbus Park and Rec Department the project took flight in June of 1952.  In January of 1954 The American Rose Society joined forces and moved it's National Headquarters from Pennsylvania to Columbus on the edge of the park.  The American Rose Society remained there until moving it's offices in 1974 to Shreveport, Louisiana.

Picnic with the family in the park, ride bikes and be sure to leave time to tour the gardens.  Many weddings are held in the park.  You can reserve spaces for 2 hour intervals at a cost of $500.00.
This is only 1 of the 4 special areas with a picturesque backdrop for your wedding photo's.  When hubby and I got married here 41 years ago come June 17th, there was only 1 special spot without any real rental or reservation program.  It is more organized now, certainly more specialist and upscale; but I'm glad we were able to be married there without that price tag.  We selected a spot, chairs were assembled and we walked among the trees for shade and got married!  It was a beautiful day.  Take a tour on my wedding day back in 1972, In The Rose Garden 

**Still having issues with google+ blocking EVERYONE who is not a google+ member.  Many bloggers still don't realize Blogger, Disgus, Wordpress etc.and all other blogs are unable to comment.  Carol Kilgore, (No filter between brain and mouth) I'd love to visit and comment again, but can't due to your google+ settings.  If you get them fixed, please let us know and we'll add you back to the blog log.**


Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations. (BL7)