Quebec A.K.A. Quebec City has a historic, “Old Quebec” portion which falls within the original city walls. Those walls, The Ramparts, are a world heritage site. Inside lies a charming small French village, full of charming restaurants and high end retail. We admired the beautiful Canadian artistry, unique style, and creativity, but the sticker shock was heart-grabbing. $300 for a pair of summer shorts made Steven nearly drop his artisan chocolates!

My attitude about fashion at this price, was more like this cleverly named store:

Some words work in all languages, Oui?  Exactly like ‘Chocolate’, Oui Oui!!  The most charming shop was Le Chocolaterie du Village, with a small chocolate museum and a collection of old chocolate molds…

…which was so delectable it made us ignore the prices.

Decisions to delay gratification…works better with clothing purchases than it does for sweets!

The turreted Hotel Frontenac sits over the top of the winding retail alleys and is visible from many viewpoints, always imposing, and always making one think of Europe.

Best of all, is the whimsical and perfectly crafted five story murals, competing with those we saw in Philadelphia, PA.

The Canadian deep respect for their indigenous people is evident in their sculpture and busts throughout the City. The Parliament Building has a dramatic sculpture of the First Citizens (featured image) that reminded me of Renoir’s Burghers of Calais, as it seemed to state the City’s purpose: welcome and educate visitors with the basic value of ‘inclusion’ and respect.

Similarly, Ghandi’s bust is prominently featured in the Park fronting the Parliament along with this sculpture showing modern women’s roots in the past, and our gratitude for those who fought the battles for the freedoms we have come to expect.

We come from the San Francisco Bay Area, and are not foreigners to really good croissants. In the Mission, Tartine Patisserie makes killer croissants…that nonetheless cannot beat those from “Boulangerie Monsieur Maisson” in Montreal.  No picture can capture the textured blend of “flake and pull”, and the buttery flavor. Is their a more perfect comfort food? Our neighborhood cafe in Montreal, ‘1880’ is across from the University of Quebec. We were so happy the 40,000 students were on Summer Break, as this place is mobbed otherwise.  Had Steven not had his croissant and espresso each morning as planned…well, that is just not a good way to start a summery day in France, or at least French Canada’s version thereof.

After all you have to get fueled to climb some hills to explore the neighborhoods and charms of Montreal and the St. Laurence River. Basilica Notre Dame is the largest Cathedral in Canada, and it is like a gothic stage set with creepy lighting, candles, and stained glass. Even the ceiling, the pipe organ and pulpits are just aflame with color. The architect converted to Catholicism so he could be buried under the Basilica.

There is a large artistic population in the City and gallery support of local arts. Most neighborhood cafes spun good tunes and had some quirky art, like this 800 spoon chandelier.

On these too warm  80 degree evenings (especially for Spring, and especially as there are still snow drifts in the Foothills outside of town), the residents turned out to dine and drink on the cobblestone streets of Rue St. Paul in Old Montreal. Had to pass on the “Montreal Poutine”. French fries, smothered with beef gravy and cheese curds may taste great, but it looks regurgitated. “Dog food” would be a kind description. We found great East Indian and Asian food, which should not surprise, as Montreal is a wonderful international mix of citizenry. However, we were shocked at the dominance of smokers just outside the entrance to every public building. Staying in a hotel across from a hospital, we watched as orderlies wheeled their patients out in wheelchairs, while the ambulatory patients rolled their hanging medication bags outside… for the all important toke of tobacco. Ironique, oui?

On the other hand we saw lots of bikers and runners on the waterfront trails, and urban dog walkers handling 20 dogs at a time. We found French Canadians to be very dog oriented; Lety got lots of attention. Que chien jolie! Lots of citizens were out enjoying sculpture and parks on these first sunny days, seemingly chatty and accepting of tourists, as long as we began every sentence with our memorized phrase, “Je suis desole que je ne parle pas Francais bien. Parlez vous Inglais ou Espanol?” It was a pleasure to see so many elegant women of all ages showing off summer frocks and fabulous sandals. Needless to say, I was not one of them…

Mostly a town of monumental architecture, high-end shopping, dining and wonderful outdoor sculpture pocket parks, we also saw the seamy side.  The junkies, gangs, and slovenly inebriated laying about on lawns strewn with needles in a downtown park where we walked Lety. It seemed as though being high in public is tolerated in Montreal, which surprised us after our border crossing experience. We must have met some drug mule, or terrorist profile, as they did a 25 minute long, very thorough search of the Roadtrek, even unrolling our aluminum foil(?), and scouring every little nook. The Canadian Border Authority employee never cracked a smile during the interview and the search, until he cleared us, then he became ‘tres charmante’, of course!

Within an hour of Montreal we camped (for free!) at a city park near this peaceful lake in Parc Gatineau.  On the way to Quebec we camped (free again! Viva Canada!) along the Riviere Nicolet in Victoriaville, enjoying Steven’s Birthday in this lovely small town.

From Albany, CA (our hometown) to Albany, NY, we really have traversed half of the country now. Many states have very nice historic Capital Buildings, often with interesting interiors. Albany has a particularly outstanding State Capital based solely on architecture. The skyline is one of the most iconic we have seen due to Nelson Rockefeller’s Empire State Plaza. Rockefeller loved abstract art, modern concrete architecture, and open inviting “piazzas” as is common in Italy.

Large slabs of skyscrapers sit in a row in front of reflecting pools. Anchored by the NY State History Museum to the South (Free!) and the historic Capital to the North. In one corner sits, “The Egg” a performing arts center.

Underneath the Plaza is quarter mile of underground shops, services, a YMCA, and 90 pieces of Abstract Expressionist Art. Sucky Upstate NY weather? Who cares. Put on your pedometer and get your steps in, in comfort, with visual stimulation and convenience. This is not such a big downtown area, but add in the many food trucks on the surrounding streets, the downtown parks, and you have a very enticing place for the community to meet up and engage,  regardless of the weather conditions. Bravo Mr. Rockefeller! Good city planning back in the 50’s…and then great patience as it took 18 years to complete. Of course, this gorgeous Capital building is not just the usual rotunda/dome style, and required something just as magnificent at its feet.

Doesn’t the featured image tell a story of a feisty and proud tomboy awaiting her punishment, but with the attitude, “Do what you want to me now, at least I got to kick his ass first!” …or perhaps, “Is this fight private, or can anybody get into it?”

From the Illustration Museum on Mansion Row in Newport, RI to the Dr. Seuss Park in Springfield, MA to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA …we got our fill of great American illustration this week. To boil a story point down to one terse image is difficult. Norman Rockwell was a genius at catching the daily life of American families in the 50’s, and our pride in our accomplishments. Hey Gals, don’t you identify with the proud and feisty tomboy awaiting her punishment outside the Principal’s Office? ….or is that just the tomboy in me?

 Then to carry a more complex story through multiple story boards to grab attention and hold it for effective storytelling is a unique challenge. We really enjoyed the Memorial Park dedicated to the Dr. Seuss books, Seuss being the middle name of the creator.

One of my favorite TV series is Mad Men and their ads from the 50’s remind me how linear, flat, and static the graphic images were as used to sell products. Compared to the graphic images we are accustomed to now, the ads from the 50’s wouldn’t even make us pause for a second to understand the message. The 60’s brought us Peter Max (think Yellow Submarine type images) and intense use of color and icon. Japanese graphics brought us dramatic and explosive image, and finally the advent of computers made simple drawing skills unnecessary. Now graphic designers really have to be creative to snare us for long enough to stay for the message…and we do stay for the message!

We also do what they tell us to…buy, buy, buy!  LIFE EDITED (www.lifeedited.com) is a site you may enjoy for novel ideas about how to live with less debt, less space, less stress and …increased pleasure, with more community, activity, and creativity. That is part of our great joy in traveling North America in a rolling 100 sq. ft. home, and using our bikes and kayak to check out local areas. We got to enjoy visiting local community centers in Western Mass and Upstate NY:

The Red Lion Inn with free live music nightly throughout the snowy winter in Stockbridge, MA:

Smith College in Northampton:

…and the Syracuse Zen Center including a warm welcome from Jikyu Bonnie and a visit to the Onondaga Nation School outside Syracuse. So many people finding different ways to step off the consumer escalator, slow down, and see if they can live smaller and simpler, whether in dorm room size spaces or with more sharing of “stuff”.

Less Space + Less Stuff = Less Spending + Less Production of Toxins.

China’s enormous increase in the production of toxins in the last 20 years is caused predominantly by the manufacture of products… products ultimately shipped to the USA to satisfy consumer demand. We could create lending libraries for so many products we use infrequently, and then we wouldn’t have to have big spaces to store them….think what is in YOUR garages and closets right now…

Founded by Roger Williams after exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans, this state has many remarkable “first” and “oldest” institutions. Fortunately, most of them are in Newport, Rhode Island, which is a very nice place to visit. The historical societies in town have worked hard to certify many buildings as historic monuments, and pride of ownership keeps most homes here spit and polished, and maintaining their original architecture externally. The current residents are proud of their independence and tolerance too. How many small towns in the U.S. have erected a park to memorialize Jewish patriots?

However, we were saddened to learn that Rhode Island is the only New England state that has not passed a same-sex marriage law. Maybe this year, their defiant history and good ethics will give them the strength to do what’s right.

Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle has joined the Newport “elite” like Vanderbilt, and Roosevelt, to enjoy the grand mansions on Bellevue Avenue, showcasing 35-75 room “Cottages”, traditionally used for one month each summer. Doris Duke’s “Cottage” (above) and the featured image are the gates along the Cliff Walk in front of the mansions.

The America Cup Sailing Race was run (and consistently won by the U.S. for many years) out of Newport. Townspeople are still hoping that San Francisco’s bid will blow up, and it will return to Newport. Being from San Francisco and thrilled to see the Race in our Bay, we hope all the greedy San Francisco real estate barons (including Ellison) can work it out with the Mayor and Supervisors so We, The People …can exercise our right to watch those skinny airborne hulls and gigantic sails scream by our boats and bridges!

We attended Shabat services (Modern Orthodox) at the Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the country, and the only surviving shul from before the Civil War. We also walked the dog around the grounds of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum, the first lending library in the country.

Of course, we had to raise an ale at The White Horse, the oldest tavern in the country…

…and we felt free…to be…you and me, enjoying our right to raise a tankard!

If one of your favorite movies was Das Boot, a tense German fictional film about a remarkable submarine crew during combat operations in WWII, you would love a visit to the Naval Submarine Museum next to the US Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut on the Thames River. Outside the museum is this two man Japanese “Type A” sub, used in Pearl Harbor and throughout the war, fortunately without much efficacy.

We climbed in and out of the hatches in the first nuclear sub in the American Fleet, the SSN Nautilus. SS denoting a sub, the N denoting nuclear powered. We played with the periscope, putting our rig in the sights for a torpedo launch. Fire in the Hole!!!  Able to remain submerged longer than diesel-electric subs, she travelled geographically well beyond the limits of other subs, including a trip to the North Pole in 1958. Her propeller system was too loud to truly run silent with the advent of improved sonar soundings, so she was alone in her class. The Ohio class is what the US runs now, which are remarkably larger. This image shows the difference in circumference between SSN Nautilus and the current Ohio class.

A great exhibit featured the development of  underwater listening systems. The “Poing…Poing….Poing” sound of the sonar creates so much drama in movies involving the hunt for a sub. It also became outdated by the coastal “Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS)”, that could pinpoint by triangulation the location of Soviet subs. The Soviets didn’t know we had this technology and we used it to our advantage, especially during the Cuban Missile Crisis, capturing two of the three subs heading for Cuba. Because of an American spy working for the Soviets, John Walker, they learned our secret, yet fortunately near the end of the Cold War. However, that technology, decommissioned beginning in 1992, is used for good animal science now: whale tracking by scientists trying to preserve the species (according to the military).

As opposed to the testing for the improved underwater sound stalking technology (LFA Sonar) which is so loud it allegedly causes whales to stress out and beach themselves (according to Steven and other whale advocates).

12 years ago, my son, my brother Rick, and I toured the USS Growler, a small sub,  even more tiny and claustrophobic, tied up next to the Air Force Carrier Intrepid, all part of a museum in New York City Harbor. There you can see the Blackbird (first jet to fly at the speed of sound (Mach 1).  It can reach Mach 3, or 33 miles per minute. It remains the fastest jet existing although built in 1964, although rocket fueled jets can exceed these speeds. The most interesting part of these exhibits is chatting with the Veterans and current soldiers who work with this war-oriented technology on a daily basis, and then to consider how important these technological advances have been as they have morphed into our everyday technology.

…and then there is the propaganda that was developed in that period, good for a laugh anyway.

“We can do it!” Wasn’t that Obama’s first presidential campaign’s slogan? I wonder if  Rosie the Riveter got some credit….

Neither Steven nor Sally had been past the airports and Brooklyn on Long Island. Wintry conditions kept the crowds away so we could explore without the rumored summertime nightmare traffic. We started in Glen Cove with our personal tour guide and pal, retired builder Bob. He showed us some of the legendary great homes on the North Sound which has the third highest per capita income in the US. Check out the Train Station/Post Office.

We enjoyed walks by the Peconic River, as we camped by it near Riverhead, at the fork of the North and South split. The Hamptons and Fire Island were close by so we stopped at a cafe to observe the very high end shopping area. A nice town for dogs, but I don’t think you get to live there unless you own a French Bull. We much preferred the small and sailing oriented Sag Harbor. It came closest to our choice of a quiet place with a nice community to visit and go bicycling, if we lived in Manhattan, not the la-di-da beach scene.

We eventually got to the far eastern reach, on the South Shore, the Montauk LIghthouse, our featured image. Block Island is visible further to the East off shore, and had there been seasonal ferry service available, we would have gone. The Nature Conservancy is stewarding 40% of the Island, and puts it on their top 12 locations for visits.

Another very inviting part of the Island is the “Wine Trail” and agricultural region at the far end of the northern arm. From here, at Orient Point, we boarded a ferry to New London, Connecticut. It is always a pleasure being on the water and this one and a half hour ride, on a freezing and windy day along the Connecticut Coast was no exception. It made the brief journey up the Thames River feel positively balmy! Cruising past this remarkable New London Harbor Buoy, we became excited about entering the sailing center of the East Coast.

Five boroughs make up NYC: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. They are unique governments, like counties. Most of what west coasters think of NYC is Manhattan as the others are “up-island” like The Bronx, or off island. Served by ferry, train, bus, bike routes, 12 bridges, 286 miles of track and countless tunnels, there is no place in the U.S. that can compare to NYC’s public transport system. In fact, 70% of our Nation’s use of mass urban transportation is serving the NYC demand. We routinely use ALL of the above when we are here, even if it means just a round trip on the Staten Island ferry as pedestrians, to get out on the water.

Taking the Circle Line Tour to circumnavigate the island allowed views of all the boroughs and to see all of its’ bridges.  We watched commuter trains rumbling overhead and waited for the swing bridge to open for us, after freight trains have passed. We passed barges filled with treated sewage hauling to Brooklyn for further treatment into fertilizer, requiring some patron to yell in English, “No Shit!”  Clearly other English speakers on board, but otherwise we heard more foreign language than English, so we knew we were experiencing the ultimate NYC tourist experience…and it was wonderful!  Our dock was pleasantly situated next to the Space Shuttle (on exhibit on the deck of the aircraft carrier Intrepid) and the Carnival Splendor. The Splendor was the Carnival Ship that was towed to shore adrift in Mexico 2 years ago with the ‘Ronald Reagan’ aircraft carrier as the escort. My brother was the Senior Physician on board for that cruise and noted that the Splendor towered over the smaller aircraft carrier, as it does at port in NYC.

All NYFD images, including the fire boat, make us grieve again for the victims of 911. Having visited Ground Zero a year ago, we chose to aimlessly wander through NYC’s neighborhoods. In search of a dive bar in Hell’s Kitchen, we found next door, “Poseidon Confectioners”. We wandered in, bought some Greek pastry, and returned after a beer to buy more to take home to the family. Imagine custard wrapped in layers of filo dough soaking in honey….still warm from the oven…the ultimate comfort food! We learned later it has been in business since the 30’s and is quite famous. Somehow, finding a great place by serendipity really increases the fun and adventure.

We explored Brooklyn on foot with my darling filmmaker godson Erik. We ran into the lead actor on Erik’s first feature film, “El Camino”, who was in Brooklyn shooting a comedy show with Amy Sedaris. Am I the only one who is still shocked seeing actors in person, when they are out of character, especially given his clean-cut, dark suited appearance in the film, and his scruffy bearded presentation on the street? By the way, “El Camino”, a fabulous road trip film with noteworthy cinematography, can be rented on Netflix.com, and was reviewed very favorably as his Pick-of-the-Week at the Chicago Sun Times, by the recently deceased film critic Roger Ebert. It also features Elizabeth Moss who is in several TV shows you may recognize including West Wing, and 7 seasons of Mad Men.

Erik steered us toward “Lucky Dog” around the corner from his flat near the Williamsburg Bridge, for our afternoon beer. What a pleasure to sit in the sun with Lety and all the other neighborhood dogs to enjoy a dog friendly saloon with a back patio. We all felt like lucky dogs.

It was such a lovely Spring day, with flowering trees and bulbs, we headed up to the Brooklyn Bridge to cross to Manhattan. The Bridge was thronged with pedestrians and bikes. The pedestrians seemed in too happy a place to pay attention to their jeopardy as they sauntered casually into the bike lanes, in spite of horns, bells, whistles, and shouts from the bikers. Clueless. Amazingly, no one got hurt.

The next day winter descended again. Other than one bizarre 85 degree day a week earlier (hot and humid like summer), Winter in the Northeast is still sitting on us, with 22 degree temps last night. It made it possible for two attackers to bundle up and carry their bombs to the finish line at the Boston Marathon without causing attention. We will head to Boston after a week on Long Island with hopes of donating blood to the Boston Red Cross in support. We discussed this violence against innocent people with seething anger. Yet, seeing that sweet 19 year old perp’s face, made me sad…also so grateful that my 19 year old son had great male role models supporting his healthy ambitions. He focused on education, caring about others (including his mother!) and pursuing his interest in American Politics with non-lethal ideas on how to repair our Nation (although he did mention that meeting with our Congressional Aide in Washington DC was a big fat waste of time!)

The New York Times instructed us that “Jersey” was a disrespectful diminutive for the Garden State. We don’t feel offended if someone refers to our big city at home as “Frisco”, but not wishing to offend, we are looking for a cortito (nickname) for a state that has a lot of cool stuff going on. What’s not to like about the least expensive fuel cost we have seen yet…do you like $3.13 per gallon? Humm Baby!

We have enjoyed the Jersey Shore starting at Cape May, a thoroughly Victorian town with well-maintained “Painted Ladies” just like in “Frisco”.  Our first taste of frozen custard (like a soft serve but richer, like mousse on a cone…yummmm). Not a wildly dog friendly beach, even in the dead of winter, but awfully nice to sit in a rocker and stare at the sea, and do a little bird watching at the far end of the Cape. There is clean-up from Sandy ensuing, as we will see throughout eastern New Jersey and Southern New York City.

A marked contrast is Margate, further north on the Jersey Shore, formerly mob real estate, now just high end beach houses and one silly elephant named, “Lucy” who lets you sleep in her belly overnight! We heard that Atlantic City had a skid row quality, overrun with pawn shops. Au contraire, bustling with shoppers for the outlet mall running behind the casinos, it is a jumping place for a bachelor party for sure, but it cannot hold a candle to Nevada gambling/shopping/spa/entertainment eg. save your money for a trip to Vegas. Otherwise, grab your pals and head into the New Jersey Pine Barrens, the first State Forest in the nation.

With only 8 campers in the 160 sites, the Bass Lake trails were empty. We didn’t kayak as the sign, “Beware: Thin Ice” was still posted and it was still very wintry. We headed on to Montclair, about 45 minutes from NYC to spend a wonderful week with our New Jersey Martins. Although we mostly sat around cooking and eating together, catching some of their favorite comedy videos and TV shows (Dr. Pol, the country vet show rocks!), they took time off of work to take us up to The Lakota wolf/bobcat/ fox preserve in Sussex.

These lovelies have all been raised in captivity and can never be returned to the wild. They live twice as long in captivity so there are many elderly animals among the 18 wolves (timber and arctic) in 4 acre enclosures, with room to run. However, the only wild energetic bursts of energy were from the adolescent wolves. As wolves have a pecking order and are always trying to climb the ladder, these pesky younguns had to be moved to their own large enclosure to keep them from beating up on their elders.

We also wandered around Hoboken, sitting magnificently on the water across from Manhattan. Great Seafood and Italian restaurants awaited us, along with a monument to the first professionally organized baseball game, between the Knickerbockers and New York. Just a ferry ride across the Hudson to NYC, and a fabulous view across the water. A cool place, made even more fun hanging out with family there.

Of course, much eating requires some walking, and we enjoyed daily walks with the dogs in the 406 acre Eagle Rock Reservation, a block from our family’s home. Lety chased a deer out of our sight, but the huge amount of deadfall caused by Hurricane Sandy created foliage easy for a deer to leap, and tangled the dog, who got frustrated and came back. Good deer! Good dog!

We love big cities, and 6th in the nation Philly, is a big one. It has the largest urban park (Fairmont), and the most outside murals and sculptures of any U.S. city. These folks are out running, biking and especially sculling on the Schuykil River, in chill winds and using the urban bike routes for commuting. Add the Barnes Museum (tiny! need reservations in advance!) in its’ new setting, and the 11 acres of exhibition space in the Philadelphia Museum of Art (reasonably priced, too), and you’ve got a city to embrace.

It also has the required, “defined ethnic neighborhoods”. Check out the Italian Market and Little Italy. It has an alleged “mob” restaurant, Deluca’s, perhaps like the former Patrissi’s in Manhattan…eg. don’t eavesdrop too closely on neighboring tables’ conversations as there have been three verified mob hits here. Of course, South Street seems to have every type of food, but locals and tourists alike line up down the street at Jim’s Steaks for a classic Philly CheeseSteak with Onion and Cheese Whiz on fresh soft and crusty rolls. Waiting in line in front of the cook station allows you to watch the mountains of lean, thin slices of beef, char on the grill next to carmelizing onions. The wait just whets the appetitite…then after eating, you want another, but are saved by the long line. Everybody vows to come back here again when they return to Philly, and it looks like most of those in line are a return audience.

We loved riding the 22 mile bike path along the Schuykil River as it is lined with charming boat houses from the 1920’s, modern sculpture, old bridges, and competitive sculling. This sculpture of champion oarsman Jack Kelly, father of actor Princess Grace of Monaco, commemorates three Olympic victories in individual and team competition in two Olympics.

You too can feel like a “Contendah” by hanging around at the Rocky sculpture at the foot of the Philadelphia Art Museum stairs. It really brings out the complete goofiness of the adolescent male, dancing, jumping around, pumping the air…including the 57 year old one that I hang out with.

The view from the top of these stairs down to City Hall is extraordinary, the City at your feet.

It is a city with a high Walkability Score, and walk we did with Lety, the Mexican Dog, as there is a self-guided tour of 17 of the outdoor murals in City Center. This was our favorite….

How nice to wander among Colonial Architecture and Street Art, munching a hot salty pretzel slathered with hot spicy mustard, another Philly institution. When real food is called for, there are lots of taverns and gastropubs with fresh mussels cooked a variety of ways to match the extensive ale and stout collections. When you’re done, there is always one of the two rivers to stroll along…..and my artist sister Laurie, a lifetime resident here, to make recommendations and welcome us to town whenever we’re here.