Sun Wah BBQ (Uptown), Chicago, IL

First off - this is the view as you walk in their front door...

... but, we've all been told not to judge a book by its cover. This restaurant is very no-frills, but there's a reason it was pretty packed when we went on a cold, windy Friday night, arriving before 6pm too. (and it was just getting busier as we dined).

All three of us in our "dining party", even with maybe over 100 years of combined living time in Chicago, had never been to this place before. But I'd seen it on TV and thought it looked pretty spectacular. 

With it all being new to us, we started pretty slow. Luckily, our waitress helped us sort through some options and also mentioned a special "whole duck" served table-side with duck soup, duck fried rice, steamed buns, daikon radish/carrots and the all important Hoisin sauce (for $60!). How could we say no to that? We added on some BBQ pork loin, a Bok Choy side dish, and drinks.

Speaking of drinks, they had a nice non-alcohol drink menu, so I grabbed to Lime Tonic to cut some of the rich foods we'd be eating...

But, first to arrive was the pork loin...

Then duck and all the fixins came out *very fast* afterwards... 

Once the duck was carved at our table, we made quick work of filling our steamed buns and filling our faces... 

It was delicious. Very flavorful and moist (sorry, don’t what other word to use). The sides were equally as delicious and well worth the cost. 

No desserts after this pretty large meal. But, we did have plenty for leftovers. Maybe even more important than dessert. I made a whole other dish from the duck drumsticks… Butternut Squash Ravioli with Duck, Sage and fresh Ricotta. For a “leftover” it was pretty delicious…

There may be no need for me to say this, but when does that stop me - I’d go back to this place in a heartbeat. Good service, drinks, and food you just can’t get everywhere. I would wholeheartedly recommend it as well. If you want a tour guide, LMK.

Madeline Island Pt. III - The Sun, La Pointe, WI

I will admit, the Sun isn't normally deserving of its own blog post, but on Madeline Island... I don't know what it is, it's just spectacular. Part of the fun is that the part of the island I have stayed on is facing west each evening, so the sunsets are pretty legit. 

So that's it... some shots from the trip, mostly involving the awesome sunlit views...

Part of it is that within moments, you can watch a full sunset and see how the light, cluds and water all change during it. it really is worth just sitting and watching. I found myself going back outside to get pictures every 10 minutes or so. (It had gotten a bit chilly in the early Sept air). The images below are from a couple nights of sunsets. The second set wasn't eeven going to happen until the clouds broke and the sun was low enough to peek through.

Sunset 1 - I swear these are in sequence...

Sunset 2 - 

This last one is simply a sun shot from about 9am, on a different spot on the island. Oh, the island is not very big and you can drive, ride, or moped around really quickly, seeing all kinds of views and sights at almost every turn.

I think another important part of this "sun worship" is that it's a place that really allows me/us to relax. To sit back, think of less, do less, and unwind. If you simply watch the sunrises and sunsets, maybe that's a great day. I think it's golden.

Sisters & Mt. Bachelor, OR

To start this post, we have images from a tubing and snow-shoeing expedition in Sisters, OR. We spent the morning and early afternoon having fun in the fluffy white stuff. Tubing was great, on pristine, untouched hills. And the show-shoeing was really fun. Great marked trails and not much else to look at but nature.

And now some images from a day on the slopes at Mt. Bachelor. This is not a sport for the weak of heart, or wallet...

... But it is a great way to be on a mountain for a day (or longer).

The Seaside City of Capitola, CA

If you've been looking for a place to retire, and can afford it, I think you should give this city a look. Beachfront access, beachfront hotels, beach access, plus fun shops, bars and restaurants. I'm not sure what else you'd need to while away your silver years. That's not giving it full credit either - it's a great spot for any age and is easily one of my favorite places so far in CA.

Don't believe me? Have a look...

  

Come, sneak onto the beach with me...

Let me know when you'd like me to take you there, tours available.

What could top off a day in Capitola better than ice cream? Nothing. Two scoops please...

Henry W. Coe State Park, Morgan Hill, CA

Here's a little info on this place from Wikipedia...
... [HCSP] is a state park of California, USA, preserving a vast tract of the Diablo Range. The park is located closest to the city of Morgan Hill, and is located in both Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties. The park contains over 87,000 acres (35,000 ha), making it the largest state park in northern California, and the second-largest in the state (after Anza-Borrego Desert State Park). Managed within its boundaries is a designated wilderness area of about 22,000 acres (8,900 ha). This is officially known as the Henry W. Coe State Wilderness, but locally as the Orestimba Wilderness. The 89,164-acre (36,083 ha) park was established in 1959.^[1]

If you didn't catch all that, this is a big park. It's full of trails, paths, wildlife, and best of all MOUNTAIN LIONS!!!

Ok, maybe not full of them, but I did see a bobcat during my short trip. I also know they have a very popular tarantula time of year each fall. Can you spell, f-u-n!

It really is a very pretty park, great for a long walk, overnight, or even mountain biking.

A deer or two greeted me on arrival...

If go in the summer (or possibly any time of year), bring water!!! Wear sunblock. Wear sturdy shoes. You may want to wear pants and tuck your legs into your socks (ticks). If you think you might get lost, just stay on the main trail.