+Washington DC, Manhattan, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York.
4,230 Miles
93 Hours and 11 minutes driving time
42 Restaurants
24 Bakeries
12 Ice cream shops
3 Drink stops
3 Chocolate/candy shops
4 Sonic America’s Drive-In (total is now 190 Sonics in 27 states)
1 Whole Foods Market (total is now 71)
Thursday, July 4th, 2013
The western panhandle of Maryland is radiant in luscious green rolling hills.
Sprawling Deep Creek Lake is a haven for vacationing families and a stop at Lakeside Creamery for Graham Cracker Swirl.
Still in the panhandle, industrious Cumberland’s hillside perch.
Moving out of the panhandle, the setting sun highlighted Hagerstown’s downtown working class residential area.
Friday, July 5th, 2013
Historic Frederick has a timeless downtown to stroll.
In Laurel, just outside of Washington DC, Tastee Diner is a 1951 Comac.
An Apple Fritter for some fruit at Laurel Tavern Donuts.
Struggling to think of something I haven’t done on past trips to DC it dawned on me of a newer site that is tied to someone I know a lot about.
As a wartime President, Abraham Lincoln escaped the notorious heat of summer Washington DC by riding 3 miles from the White House to the Soldier’s Home whose hilltop perch north of the capitol received cooling breezes.
It was very emotional to walk the same planks the great President paced and where he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. (No pictures were allowed inside.)
Stashed the car at the Bethesda Hyatt and walked down to the Farmer’s Co-op for a lunch of healthy Middle Eastern fare.
Then took the Metro into DC.
It was 92, but only felt like 122.
Keeping with the theme I revisited Ford’s Theatre. With all the books I’ve read it has always been very helpful to picture this tragic venue.
Across the street to the Peterson House where he died on April 15th 1865 at the age of 56.
Rented a bike as an efficient mode to see all those sites on the National Mall worth seeing again and again.
Past the Treasury, around the White House, ornate Old Executive Office Building, the Washington Monument is still being repaired from the 2011 earthquake,
past the World War II Memorial, along the somber Vietnam Veterans Memorial, in front of the noble Lincoln Memorial,
past the haunting Korean Veterans Memorial, across the street through the FDR Memorial (ick), circled the Tidal Basin, around the Jefferson Memorial, down the street in between the Department of Agriculture and to the Capitol.
Scored a seat next to the kitchen at Chef Michel Richard’s Central
Eggplant Gazpacho
Almandine Trout
Cherry Tart
The Bethesda Tastee Diner is a 1935 O’Mahoney.
Drove down Wisconsin Avenue past the National Cathedral, transitioned to Massachusetts Avenue by the Vice President’s residence, down Embassy Row and to a site visited on every DC trip. On March 30, 1981 a President’s character was verified, lives changed and presidential protection forever strengthened.
(The carport was added so no dignitary would be exposed when entering this Hilton.)
Continued through Georgetown, around the Lincoln Memorial, down D Street and into Southern Maryland.
Southern Maryland is an amalgamation of lush green and water vistas.
After that circle of rural southern Maryland back to visit Annapolis again.
Chick & Ruth’s Delly was jammed.
Maryland’s capitol was also the nation’s capital from November 26th, 1783 to August 13th, 1784.
The Naval Academy was established in 1845.
And today covers 338 acres educating 4,500 midshipmen as officers.
My past experience with Baltimore is the Inner Harbor is awesome, surrounded by bad neighborhoods.
Started out south of downtown, parked the car, hope it wouldn’t be stolen and checked out Cross Street Market.
When Lexington Market opened in 1782 that downtown neighborhood probably wasn’t as seedy. Though it might have smelled like bad fish then too.
Contained within the Market is the legendary Faidley’s Seafood and their equally legendary Crab Cakes. They were phenomenal.
While there it may be shocking to learn a few bakeries were evaluated.
Checked in at my Inner Harbor hotel and headed out to this tourist friendly area in the 100 degree heat.
The USS Torsk served from June 7th, 1944 until 1972.
Today touring this 311 foot diesel sub serves as a reminder of the cramped quarters undersea.
The USS Constitution was launched in 1797.
It’s an excellent tutorage of the life aboard a 3 mast ship.
Took a water taxi to Fells Point.
Fells Point is quite seamy.
Then walked through more bad neighborhoods. Went through some projects and was about to take a picture until I realized I was being…monitored.
Little Italy is shrinking as high end retailers encroach the area.
Sunday, July 7th, 2013
Took a loop through Mount Vernon immediately north of downtown.
Breakfast #1 at Hollywood Diner.
Breakfast #2 at Sarah Simington's Blue Moon Cafe back in Fells Point.
Breakfast #3 on the outskirts of town at Broadway Diner with Greek Pancakes- pancakes rolled around Greek yogurt, covered in Greek yogurt, sliced strawberries, pecans and honey. Holy smokes those were good.
Looped around Chesapeake Bay passing through Havre de Grace and then into the eastern shore.
Chestertown is one of those hamlets you want to linger in. Or move to.
St. Michaels is a colorful tourist oriented town on a slim peninsula.
A dock. Paper covered picnic tables. Backdrop of sail boats. The perfect setting to tuck into steamed crabs.
Leaving a pile of destruction, crustaceans throughout the waterways tremble in fear of me.
After one block of walking, affluent Easton become one of my favorite towns in the U.S..
You know of the barrier island with wild horses? That is Assateague State Park at the southernmost part of Maryland. And after seeing miles of dune covered beaches the only horses I saw where on the road.
Continued on through Delaware up to Dover.
Monday, July 8th, 2013
Breakfast #1 at The Countrie Eatery.
During my last time in Dover I didn’t visit the capitol let alone get the traditional picture.
I admired how Dover’s downtown area is frozen in time.
Breakfast #2 at Hollywood Diner.
Continued up the coast of Delaware through the wetlands.
New Castle was Delaware’s’ first capitol.
After a swing through Wilmington headed west to a non-descript neighborhood in Elsemere to Casapulla’s for one of their legendary Italians subs.
And this was a ‘baby’ size!
In the outskirts of Wilmington, Hagly Museum is the former DuPont Estate and gunpowder manufacturing facilities. This map shows the breadth of what there is to see within this complex.
And this etching shows what it looked like when they manufactured gunpowder. While this product is what established the family fortune their most successful invention was....nylon.
Among the buildings to tour are the main home and office.
Crossed the Delaware Memorial Bridge into New Jersey continuing down its Southern coast stopping in Salem at the aptly named Salem Oak diner.
In Bridgeport at an Italian bakery for that ultimate juxtaposition of crusty outside, soft inside.
Cape May lies on Jersey’s southeasternmost point.
This tourist mecca is bedazzled in pedestrian streets surrounded by colorful lodgings.
A touch north, Wildwood is a more discreet waterfront community.
Loved, loved, loved Ocean City.
Another Jersey Shore community that exudes with generations of fun.
Had to get Frozen Custard from the omnipresent Kohrs. This is peanut butter and strawberry.
The residential area is block after block of visually appealing and well maintained homes.
Tuesday, July 9th, 2013
The 54 Diner in Buena was manufactured in 1954, but gets its name from being on Route 54.
This is the nice part of Camden.
Battleship New Jersey served from December 7th, 1942 (think about that date) until 1991.
New Jersey was built 2 miles downriver in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. That is Philly to the left.
There are 9 1/2 acres of decks.
16 miles of ducts, 400,000 pounds of paint, 1,135,000 rivets and 800 miles of welds.
As kids we went to Atlantic City a few times so I was curious to see if the boardwalk has changed.
But not first without stopping at White House Sub Shop.
The interior walls are covered with photos of entertainers from throughout the decades who would stop for a sub after their show.
This is their half sized Italian. It weighed at least 8 pounds.
The casinos fronting the boardwalk appeared tired. I remember when Trump was being built in the late 80s. Looks like it hasn’t been spruced up since.
They have added the sand dunes between the beach and boardwalk.
Been to a donut shop or two in my day. OK, maybe three. Never been to one with donuts made to order. I picked a strawberry glaze and coconut shreds at Shore Good Donuts in Ship Bottom on the barrier island of Long Beach.
Surf City, also on Long Beach Island.
Loved, loved, loved Seaside Heights. Even before hitting the boardwalk.
Hotels, motels, boardwalk, amusement parks, carnival games, t-shirt shops, fudge, salt water taffy. All the wonderful trappings of a beach spot.
Inviting lodging surrounds the boardwalk.
This is where the pier was that gained infamy after the Hurricane Sandy washed away the roller coaster and Ferris wheel.
This made the current hum of commerce all that more reverent.
Heading out of town block after block was cordoned off with “AUTHORIZED PERSONAL ONLY”. I saw one story houses upside down and a 2 story house on its side. So sad.
Italian Ice at The Lighthouse with the traditional lemon and adding coffee.
What a wonderful slice of current nostalgia. Circus Drive-In would have been fun at any time with all the families and car hops, but this night was accentuated with an old car show.
Asbury Park dates back to the 1880s, but its heyday was the 1920s with ornate pavilions and theatres anchoring its boardwalk.
Regal Marlton in the center part of New Jersey.
Fig Walnut from Leo's Homemade Ice Cream.
Wednesday, July 10th, 2013
Burlington is historic. That means stuff happened here a long time ago.
In Trenton didn’t see Governor Chris Christie.
After defeats in New York, General George Washington amassed his troop along the Delaware river on the Pennsylvania side and on Christmas 1776 crossed the icy river and attacked Trenton gaining both a strategic and moral win.
Stopped at a farm outside of Princeton for Corn Bread.
Located in current day Edison, this is the location of Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park lab from 1876 to 1884. It was here 'the wizard of Menlo Park' created the light bulb, electrical distribution, electric train and phonograph.
Across the street from machine shops in Linden is White Rose System. Car wasn't stolen. Whew.
The urban density of Newark.
A highly anticipated site on the trip was Thomas Edison’s laboratories in West Orange just outside of NYC.
It is now administered by the National Park Service and includes his visually stimulating 3 story office,
Also preserved are a rough machine shop, precision machine shop,
music room and fabrication buildings.
It was amazing to think of the creativity and inventions that came out of this complex.
Oh, how I love the energy of the city so great they named it twice. I was obviously in Manhattan, again, to cross some of the restaurants left off the shinking list. But not first without a quick jaunt through the crossroads of the world.
After much experimentation, in 2004 David Chang opened up Momofuku Noodle Bar dedicated to the craft of ramen while injecting some culinary twists.
And so launched a foodie destination and what is now a 16 restaurant empire in NY, Sydney and Toronto.
Guess who scored a seat at the kitchen?!
Pork/Shitake Bun
Momofuku Ramen
-Pork belly, pork shoulder, poached egg
Started as a food truck, this highly regarded by any orientation soft serve ice cream purveyor now has a brick and mortar location in the West Village. This is the Bea Arthur- vanilla with dulce de leche and crushed Nilla wafers. And I'm not typing the name so reader's work web filters won't catch it. BTW, that cone was five bucks.
I was going to take the subway, but cataloging what I just ate started to hoof it. Besides, is there anything greater than walking through the EastVillage, Chinatown, Little Italy and SoHo?
Freedom Tower is bold and beautiful. Emotional and triumphant.
Thursday, July 11th, 2013
At this spot in Weehawken in the 18th century were dueling grounds and the most infamous duel was between Vice President Aaron Burr and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton on July 11th, 1804. The brilliant and purportedly egocentric Mr. Hamilton fired and purposely missed Burr. The slimy Burr fired direct at Hamilton. He died the next day.
This vantage point also gave a wonder view of the length of the island of Manhattan.
Heading south through Hoboken to Jersey City for breakfast #1 at Brownstone Diner & Pancake Factory.
Show Stopper
-Peanut butter and chocolate chip pancakes topped with banana, whipped cream and caramel sauce.
Circled through Liberty Park to say hi to Lady Liberty.
The cities blending into each other.
Breakfast #2 at the wonderfully real Miss America Diner.
Millburn is a pre-revolutionary town still within the suburbs of NYC.
Headed to the western border of NJ (which only takes a half hour) to Phillipsburg sprawled along rolling hills.
For you horror movie fans Blairstown Diner was used in Friday the 13th.
Delaware Water Gap State Park straddles the state line of NW New Jersey.
Dirty Diaper. Dark chocolate ice cream, chocolate chunks and streaks of fudge. I just had to get it for the humor.
Headed back to the congested Jersey suburbs of NYC.
I’ve been in bad neighborhoods all over the world, but the first time I felt nervous was in Paterson. Jeez, you should see it. I even found I was doing that scrunching down in the car thing.
Through Newark, over the George Washington Bridge ($13?!), across Queens, battled the I-95 traffic, transitioned into the prosperous communities of Connecticut and headed inland.
Bethel, Connecticut
Billed as the world’s smallest ice cream factory this is Blueberry Swirl from Dr. Mike’s. The other food stop in Bethel was Sycamore Drive-In.
Friday, July 12th, 2013
Sandy Hook Diner in Newton.
One of the 2 best corned beef hash plates I’ve ever had at Laurel Diner in Southbury.
In the basement of this house in Bantan is a wood hearth oven churning out artisan breads such as this Orange Scented Brioche.
Top notch service from the waitress/cook at Collin’s Diner in Canaan.
Crossed into SW Massachusetts into the Berkshire region and strolled around inviting Great Barrington.
Since a young lad I admired Norman Rockwell’s seemingly effortless ability to capture Americana in each painting. Outside of Stockbridge is a museum dedicated to his legacy.
His studio was moved to the grounds 1976.
Joe’s Diner, in nearby Lee, was the model for Norman Rockwell’s “The Runaway”. I had fun observing the locals great each other and how kind the cute waitress was.
White Hut in West Springfield. 1939.
Continued down the Mass turnpike, turned towards Providence and took the east side of Narragansett Bay to Tiverton.
Saturday, July 13th, 2013
Headed out of Tiverton, over Mt. Hope Bay, through Newport, across the Jamestown Bridge to the other side of Narragansett Bay to have breakfast with Uncle Bob and Aunt Lore.
Up to Providence and back around Narragansett Bay to the family get together graciously hosted by Uncle Ben and Aunt Betty.
Aunts, Uncles, cousins, cousins once removed and Bentley the dog.
I really don’t know who these people are. I come for the food.
Sunday, July 14th, 2013
Up at 4:30 EST and on the road in 22 minutes. Through Rhode Island to the central part of Connecticut
Wethersfield.
The aptly named Wethersfield Diner.
Makris Midtown Diner.
And their Whole Wheat Apple Walnut Pancakes.
Olympia Diner in Newington, 1950.
In central NY, Voss’ is only open in summer and the line verified the popularity of their BBQ and homemade ice cream.
Monday, July 15th, 2013
Home at 6AM. Shortly off to work. In bed at 6PM after being up for 40 hours. Whew.