-
Cherry Blossoms and Chimney Cakes at Niagara-on-the-Lake
The Hungarian chimney cakes, or kürtőskalács in Hungarian, from Budapest Bake Shop, are one of my favorite things I've ever eaten. A chimney cake is a pastry made from raised dough which is then wrapped around a spit and baked. The cakes can have any fillings, from sweet to savory. We devoured the cinnamon and walnut chimney cakes. The owners of the bakery told us that the recipe they use is over 300 years old.
-
Hiking the Gorge Trail in Watkins Glen State Park
When I was young, I oftentimes imagined what it would be like to live in Rivendell, the sanctuary of the Elves in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy. It is a refuge in times of trouble, an outpost of aid and friendship, and a bounty of history and folklore. Blessed by magic and peace, Rivendell is a place saturated with the kind of ancient, otherworldly beauty that only an immortal race could build.
