On a recent trip to the Catskills, I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Robin from MyMelange. We decided to try a place she had heard lots about: the Village Tea Room, in New Paltz.

The parking wasn’t that bad even though the lot was full — a significance of good things. If people don’t want to leave, then the restaurant must be good. And the name –Village Tea Room—had me at hello. I’m a big tea buff, and I heard that they served high tea. Which meant scones and stuff.

The entrance was pretty, with a trellised arch, and the building itself is a Historic Landmark. Inside, a cosy tea room (with lunch items too), and pretty silver foil packets of tea My eye was immediately drawn to the cakes and pastries, notably the honey bee cake, which I was told was made of orange sponge cake, with a vanilla filling and a touch of chocolate, adorned with a ganache honey bee with almond sliver wings. I had the good fortune to try it and it was delicious!

But the service—much to my disappointment and to Robin’s—was painfully slow. It was the day before Mother’s Day, and after more than a half hour wait (there were empty tables), we were finally seated. And then we were told they were out of bread, because of the unanticipated demand for Mother’s Day. I ordered pasta (it was a delicious pesto—nothing to complain about).

After we finished our meal, we wanted to order macaroons but despite us waiting right in front of the cashier for a while, they didn’t even take our order! It’s sad when such a fine establishment (the food was delicious) gets to suffer because of poor service. And over the years, I can definitely remember when poor service impacted my judgement of a place: if it weren't for the attitude and indifference of some of the wait staff, I'm sure I would have come out raving about the Village Tea Room.

And that's not entirely the staff's fault too: I think management is to blame, certainly. But then that experience got me thinking about service, and tipping, and how much we take good service for granted. Certainly, I'm a good tipper, but I tend to notice more when the service is poor than when it is genuinely great.

I'm sure that the much acclaimed Village Tea Room will continue to do well in its business—the food and wine selection is just too good for it not to do well. But if there's a big day (like Mother's Day), then little things like stocking up on extra ciabatta or seating people promptly–go a long way in making a good day into a great experience.

The beautiful entrance and arch

Beautiful flowers were in bloom everywhere, and that really put spring in my step

Love at first sight and bite: the delicious Honey Bee Cake

My pesto was delicious and al dente

This is the chocolate ganache cake: another sweet temptation

We milled around the cashier but it was obvious they had their hands full: eventually, we gave up on ordering macaroons to go…

Myself, Robin, Chris and Butterscotch (who seems more fascinated by Robin's dress!)

Have you experienced poor service when you travel? How have you dealt with this?

The setting? A magnificent day in New Paltz, New York, from where you can see the Shawangunk Mountain range (a section of the Appalachian Mountain range). The air is cool, the surrounding foliage is crisp, and Matthew and I have decided to hike the 3 mile loop around Lake Minnewaska.

For those of you who have not visited the Catskills area (you may be more familiar with Mohonk Mountain House), you'll find an embarrassment of riches —trail wise. I cannot express to you how much I love it here, and over the years I've witnessed the demand increase and Bed & Breakfast reservations fill up weeks in advance.

Lake Minnewaska has beautiful dark blue waters, and is dog friendly too. The three-odd mile trail around the Lake will take you past the famous Cliff House and Windmere among attractions. We had a breeze hiking the trail and it's not strenuous at all, even at 33 weeks of pregnancy! Butterscotch enjoyed the walk immensely, although she was very tempted to get into the lake (we restrained her because we didn't want to transport a soggy dog back). But as you can see from the pictures below, many dogs enjoyed playing fetch.

The parking at Lake Minnewaska's main lot is $8, but you can avoid this charge if you park by one of the many odd trails, you can skip the fee.

Once you arrive at the parking lot, follow the well-marked trail to Lake Minnewaska, and enjoy the simple loop (offset by carriage trails).

Nearby Can't Miss Attractions:

• The Walkway over the Hudson is a pedestrian bridge that spans more than a mile long, and is over 200 feet above the Hudson River. Walk this on a beautiful day for breathtaking views!
  
• Mohonk Mountain House: this unmistakeable Victorian castle is a fairy tale setting for weddings and festivities. It was built in 1869, and has 266 rooms. If you book, remember it's an all-inclusive stay including a sumptuous buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea.
  
• The Mohonk Preserve, which is a State Park. Try the hike up to Bonticou Crag if you're really into hiking.
  

Butterscotch and I enjoy a clear day!

Finding a cool, shady spot is tough work…

One of the dogs we saw at the park had a ball…literally.

A Bassett Hound finds true love…

Lilac trees are plentiful

A view from the bridge

This is truly an idyllic spot in the park, and you can picnic here, take plenty of bridal photos (or fun family photos), or simply chill.

Matt enjoys a great perching spot while I enjoy the view!

It seems hard to believe that I've been married for ten years. Ten years! Matthew and I met while in college, and we've cherished every minute together, and it really helps to have a partner who shares the same interests as you.

On the morning of my anniversary, I woke to some beautiful surprises on my coffee table. To be honest, I had not even processed the information that it WAS my 10th, so I had not really done quite the amount of planning as Matthew had (evidently). First, I woke up to these:

Because it was my 10th–the metal of choice was tin: hence the elegant tin pail. And of course, there was a card. When I opened the card, it asked me to look under the table, and I found yet another package. Inside this was a sleek black new Dell Inspiron Laptop, which was particularly touching because my old one had died a few weeks ago, and I was trying hard not to get frustrated at the thought of tapping away at a desktop. What a thrilling morning already!

Now, as though this weren't enough (to be honest, I would have been completely happy with flowers, a card and a tin pail!), I was promised a trip to the New Paltz area (the base of the elegant and seemingly endless Shawangunk mountains) but our lodging would remain a mystery. That's one aspect I love of being married: we love giving each other surprises. In fact, I keep reminding myself on a daily basis that a life without pleasant surprises is just not as fun. We work at it–but it's a labor of love.

So that evening, I was whisked away to one of those Bed  & Breakfasts that are everywhere in the area. To my great surprise, we were allowed to bring Butterscotch as well (a quick call to the B&B took care of this). That just about sealed the deal because I knew then that weekend was going to be perfect. Even though I love to travel, I do hate leaving my Golden Retriever behind.

After a swift drive with relatively little traffic, we discovered it was close to dinner time, and we had not even thought of dinner arrangements yet. We were eager to try the Foodspotting app to see what vegetarian options were nearby. We were instantly taken with the photos of a delicious vegetarian enchilada platter at a restaurant called Cinco de Mayo in Waldwick, NJ. The restaurant's web site itself is unimpressive, and thank goodness I didn't look at that first because I would have brushed it off. But Foodspotting's pictures were very convincing, and we took a 3.9 mile detour from our journey to head towards our enchiladas.

Cinco de Mayo prides itself on "Fine Authentic Mexican Cuisine" and I was excited to try some authentic salsa. The art on the wall, hand painted by one of the owners, was striking with its sun ripened, tropical colors. And thankfully, after convincing our waitress that we did not indeed eat any meat or dairy (our waitress even understood the word "vegan"—hooray!), we ended up with a delicious meal worthy of Foodspotting's best. They even gave us a complimentary dessert: a fried banana concoction that was definitely NOT vegan but delicious (see, sometimes it's okay to have dairy for a good cause).

The interior of Cinco de Mayo in Waldwick, NY: A true Fiesta

The salsa was perfection, and the secret, they told me, were the poblano chiles

This is just one of the examples of the art you can expect to see in this restaurant. It's worth coming here just for the eye candy alone.

So, by the end of dinner, we were staunch fans of Foodspotting and we continued on to our bed & breakfast. By the time we arrived at Mountain Meadows, it was close to 11:00pm. The atmosphere was beautiful, dark and quiet as a pin (not even any crickets), and we pulled into the driveway and checked into some very cosy digs.

Mountain Meadows is a solid choice for a B&B, and run by a charming couple, Art and Corinne, who instantly made us feel at home. It features several amenities you'd want in a B&B: a heated pool and hot tub, extensive gardens, a delicious hammock and comfortable and tastefully furnished rooms. We had a tropical room furnished with the cutest toucans and wicker furniture…it brought back fond memories of our time in Clearwater, FL and Fisher Island.

Everything was comfortable, peaceful and quiet…the way a Catskills B&B is supposed to be.

The day too, was perfect. Sunshine ruled.

Hammocks are always welcome!

Sitting in the living room's rocking chair (it's good for the baby!) with my first child, Butterscotch.

It's amazing how much attention Golden Retrievers need! They take longer than your taxes.

The smell of a delicious breakfast woke us the next morning. These are fresh baked blueberry muffins that were soft yet chewy.

After a restful evening at the B&B, we were ready to tackle the day and were eager to begin hiking and wandering through the acres of the Preserve. We were glad to chat with Corinne and Art for a bit during breakfast, and they told us after having done this (the B&B business) for several decades, they had decided to put up the place for sale. This saddened us but let's not forget how much work a B&B can be. Many people think it's an idyllic lifestyle, but don't take into account the early mornings, clean up and regular maintenance and effort (not to mention marketing) that comes with the territory.

We were also so glad they loved Butterscotch and invited her to come along. While the concept of a pet-friendly bed & breakfast is becoming more mainstream, it's tough if there are say–three or four dogs on the property and they can't get along.

Stay tuned for more adventures on our anniversary trip…

Everyone has their definition of Paradise. My travels have resulted in colorful journeys all over the world, from my favorite island (Aruba) to South Africa and Macau. Of course, not all journeys are created equal: Paradise is so personal.

For me, Paradise is not necessarily all the glitz and glam. Sure, I’m impressed just as the girl next door is, with marble lobbies and swank hotel rooms with a nice tea service, but Paradise is about finding a place that makes you comfortable.

It’s like finding that perfect relationship where you can actually be yourself. No need vacillate personalities like Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria or Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. Come as you are.

In that vein, I do think my personal paradise has to be Aruba. Many of you know and have read about my experiences on that island and those marvelous sunsets and Bonbini moments. It’s not an island that has an insane variety of activities, but the beaches are spectacular and there is that Dutch hospitality that always puts me at ease each time I visit. Also, I really love its small size. It's also so close to New York City (a mere 4.5 hours by plane) that you can escape to an island that's a hop, skip and a jump away from South America in no time.

The people in Aruba are very laid back too: they really know how to appreciate the quality of life. In this aspect, it's a very European island. But that's my personal Paradise…I want an oasis with a beach, history, good food and a warm and welcoming attitude. I don't really need the marble lobbies (although I've stayed in many sweet places on the island too) because in the end, a welcoming attitude is priceless.

Copyright: Butterflydiary

One of my favorite sunsets: copyright Butterflydiary.com

Scotland Week kicks off annually on Tartan Day (April 6th) and fun and festivities last an entire week in both the U.S. and Canada. The finale in New York was a colorful and fun Tartan Day Parade, complete with bright felt kilts, and a lot of revelry.

But when I was invited to partake in some Scotland Week activities, little did I know I'd be releasing a bit of my inner Picasso with a painting lesson by the Scottish Artist Hazel Campbell. Hazel was in New York City in honor of the Year of Creative Scotland campaign, and she regularly gives painting lessons in her hometown in a quaint studio on a beautiful Galloway farm.

A few bloggers and I were given empty canvases, pots of acrylic inks, long and elegant paintbrushes and bamboo sticks to embrace our inner creativity, and were just encouraged to spill our creativity. Some writers painted their image of Scotland (impressionist style), others just danced to the tune of their own colors. Hazel just asked us to relax and not over analyze everything. "There is absolutely no right or wrong," she said as she beautifully got to work, mixing and matching colors on the tray and letting her imagination run wild. Here are Hazel's "rules" to let go:

• Don't worry about form…the painting will take a life of its own;
• Work within a small framework if you don't want a painting that's too large;
• Become a child again: release your inner creativity and embrace everything;
• Play with the paints! As adults it's so easy to find it difficult to let go but that's precisely the reason you should paint.

The soft-spoken and elegant Scottish artist, Hazel Campbell, who taught us to release our inner kid through a paintbrush

By the end of the lesson, which was filled with laughter, cookies, delicious sandwiches and desserts…we were all a bit less "New Yorker" in our mentality and a bit more Galloway. But there was something so liberating about the whole experience—you see, I had never thought of painting as a way to understand the local culture. But it is very empowering…you should try it sometime.

My starting point

My version of Scotland…(don't judge!)

A Hazel Campbell original

And if you are lucky enough to be in Scotland, and can visit Galloway, try your hand at one of Hazel's classes:

SUMMER CLASS DATES FOR HAZEL CAMPBELL'S "PAINTING FOR PLEASURE" CLASSES 

May: Weekend course:
Sat 12th May - Sun 13th May 2012 £100

June: 5 day course:
Mon 11th June - Fri 15th June 2012 £220

Aug : 3 day course:
Mon 20th Aug - Wed 22nd Aug 2012 £150 

All courses run from 10am to 4pm and include coffee, tea and lunches, which is a real steal. For more information, email
hazel@painting-for-pleasure.co.uk.

After the lesson, I must say, I felt very relaxed. It was almost as though I had been to a spa with colors and paint pots. Who
would have thought this sort of release would be that good for the system?

I'm sure many of you know this through the grapevine already but people have been asking me to break the announcement officially on my blog, and to post pictures. So I'll come right out and say it: I'm expecting a bundle of joy soon!

After many years of debating whether I should or not, I decided that the next step in the cards for me was to become a mom, and I am so thrilled!

As to answers to some of the questions you've been asking me:

How Far Along Am I?

Well, I'm entering my third trimester soon, and guess what? The baby seems to be sort of a Cirque du Soleil kid, kicking every chance it can. But rest assured, I hear it's very healthy and happy so Matthew and I are thrilled.

Do We Know the Gender?

Yes, we're having a GIRL!

What Is My Due Date?

Well, officially it's July 3rd. I am so thrilled it's a summer baby but I'm REALLY hoping it's not a Fourth of July baby because I know it will be quite a mad rush to go to the hospital when people are assembled watching the fireworks! Plus, I really don't want my kid to share a birthday with another major occasion, but who knows? It's not in my hands!

Will I Still Travel With the Baby?

You can bet your bottom dollar on it! I have many trips planned even before I reach the 32nd week mark (which is when my doctor tells me I should "cease and desist") but I plan to take the young 'un everywhere!

I think in this modern day and age, it's hard to expect moms to sit still with the baby especially if you have a dose of restless legs like me. That said, I'm excited to see where the little one will want to go!

Drop me a line if you have a kid and are a traveler! In any case, I'd love to hear from you!

xoxo

Charu

Photos: Matthew Minucci

Located on 255 Smith Street in the newly gentrified area of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, Battersby will fool anyone by its humble exterior. But what sounds like a  British pub is actually a restaurant, whose doors first opened in October 2011.

Chefs and owners Joseph Ogrodnek and Walker Stern are used to preparing some pretty savvy meals and have worked at Gramercy Tavern and the Vanderbilt, to name a few places. They met at the Culinary School in 2002 and worked on an off together in various places in New York City including The Essex House under Alain Ducasse. They started talking about opening a restaurant a year ago, and gradually "it came together," says Ogrodnek.

The Restaurant

The restaurant itself is small (elbow rubbing possible) and very intimate — so much so that you could likely whisper and it would be heard by the other end of the room ( we don't recommend yelling). What immediately caught my eye were the fixtures, authentic old-fashioned brick walls and a commitment to standards. You won't find velvet or chandeliers here –you'll find quality, class at extremely affordable prices.

The kitchen itself is tiny, and shared by both chefs, and the owners pretty much do everything from soup to nuts. There is a long, shiny bar stocked with choice beverages, and there is a beverage pairing service, gratis, thanks to the fine people who work there and who know their stuff.

In this aspect, it feels very much like a New York restaurant that's really for "those in the know." But the fame is spreading, and I know it won't be a hidden gem for long.

The Menu

The menu is genuinely fresh and inspired by produce from the locale, and one of the star appetizers that's thankfully still on the menu today, the Crisp Kale Salad with Kohlrabi, Thai Basil, Chili ($10) was both thoroughly enjoyable yet with the most surprising and careful blend of non traditional ingredients. As a vegetarian/ vegan, I was concerned that I'd end up eating salad for my entree, but the truth is I could have lived on the Crisp Kale Salad itself.

"The menu itself rotates weekly," says Stern, and it's always a collaboration between both chefs who visit local "smart farms" and find out what's in season before they compose their dishes. "We do all the purchasing, visit markets several times a week and develop very close relationships with the people we buy our products from and we make dishes with what they give us."

Stern says that over the course of week, you can find as much as three to five changes on the menu, and such a feat can only be possibly with such attention to detail, a smallish space, and a commitment to freshness and quality.

"It's very fresh in that sense and keeping it interesting and working with great products," says Ogrodnek. Which restaurant do you know of that changes its menu thrice weekly?

While the menu itself is more a seafood and meat lover's cup of tea (Octopus with Chick Peas, Chorizo, Lemon; or a Striped Bass entree with Braised Fennel, Tomato Confit, Taggiasca Olives), the chefs are more than eager to attend to your culinary wish. For vegetarians, the chefs and their team whipped up a decadent, filling entree comprised of braised greens and a fennel panna cotta dessert (seriously, who does panna cotta with fennel?) that left you pining for more.

Both Walker Stern and Joseph Ogrodnek are chatty and very friendly, and will take the time to explain the dishes to you, and answer any questions. This makes the restaurant all the more palatable, because I'm not a fan of too stuffy places. While you may think the portions could be small they really aren't (they're not family style either, but like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, they're "just right").

By the time I had finished my four course meal, including a very delicious butternut squash soup that was not overly drenched with the traditional cinnamon, I wanted to make reservations to return, but was told that it was "first come, first serve" only. This is actually a good thing because every dish at Battersby is a one of a kind, and a sort of tour de force that one would normally only associate with very high end restaurants. Thankfully, the place doesn't accept reservations otherwise they would be booked for months.

Try your luck and arrive early to get a table.

Battersby, 255 Smith St., Brooklyn (718-852-8321)

The team at Battersby (from left to right): Walker Stern (chef/ owner), Mike Sowa (sous chef), Joseph Odrognek (chef/owner)

Delicious rosemary flatbread

All photos courtesy of Battersby. This visit was possibly thanks to the Marriott Fairfield Inn in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

Before a recent trip to Cape May, NJ, Matthew posed an interesting challenge: "stay an entire weekend gadget free."

I'm sure many bloggers have tried, but failed this experiment. The truth was that I was on the verge of a serious burnout and I needed some weekend time to cool down. A road trip to Cape May sounded like just the ticket.So, we packed our bags for just a night's stay in a bed and breakfast called Candlelight Inn in Wildwood, NJ. Little was I prepared for all the kind of 1950s scenery we would see on our journey.

Candlelight Inn is one of those places you just dream about, or have seen in the movies. A sprawling ten room Victorian home painted in a cheerful bright orange and green, this was a place we fell in love with just on looking at the website and reading the reviews. We had one butterfly in the stomach moment though, when I called the owners, Bill and Nancy, to ask them about a vegan breakfast.

We had one vegan, about twelve years ago, explained Bill. It wasn't a very good experience.

Bill went on to say that the vegan in question was a bit of a snob, and didn't really feel comfortable when others were downing bacon and sausage at the breakfast table. No, we're not like that at all, I explained. All we want to make sure is that we eat something. Bill assured us that he would do his best; I hoped for the best.

After a long, peaceful and quite uneventful car ride down the Garden State Parkway (we had a flurry of traffic only by Atlantic City), we arrived at the Candlelight Inn around 9:00pm. Our "Brass and Porcelain" room was beautifully maintained, with ample refreshments (branded tea, coffee, even several bottles of water in the fridge –gratis–all these amenities add up).

Some elegantly crocheted pillows, a gas fireplace, a cozy cream colored chair and a supremely comfortable bed (an optional hot tub outside–but it was freezing), all added up to a great stay. And the breakfast next morning was beyond super–Bill and Nancy went out of their way to get everything for the vegans (yes, those strange creatures from Mars), including soy yoghurt, granola and berries.

But it was Wildwood, NJ that took me by surprise—it was as though we were steeped in Pleasantville, that movie set in the 1950s. It was quite other worldy to see how deserted the streets were; there was hardly anyone on the Boardwalk (surprise, surprise…this was February after all, and the temperatures really chilly). When I walked on the Boardwalk, I felt this boarded up area with deserted Ferris Wheels and abandoned mini gold lawns was one part Brady Bunch, one part State Fair. But truly–this was miles away from anything Snooki would experience on the set of The Jersey Shore.

(Oh, and about the gadget-free vacation, that didn't last too long but it wasn't a case of Monk, the Obsessive Compulsive Detective, either. We did use gadgets to shoot these pictures):

The Candlelight Inn is one of those truly romantic bed & breakfast establishments perfect for a weekend getaway. On this sunny morning, it was EXTREMELY windy but you can see how beautiful the surroundings are.

We had booked the "Porcelain and Brass" room and you would think that given it's February–the dead of winter–it would be easy to get a room, right? Totally not so! It was quite booked and we were lucky to get a room, and one with a complete parlor to ourselves no less. Everything was so tastefully and beautifully furnished, including branded teas and coffees.

Everything was laid out perfectly and in place, including the crotchet mats, iPod docking station, fresh flowers….

They even had fresh sherry in the decanter for their guests….

So much for a gadget-free weekend! This was our lame attempt to remain "off the grid" but in our defense, I think we took only around 20 pictures total! That's relatively gadget free in blogger terms.

We even had our own cozy fireplace, how privileged is that? In the extremely chilly weather it was wonderful to say the least. And because it's a gas fireplace, you don't have to worry about leaving it on all night long in case you like the toasties.

After a thoroughly restful night's sleep –I think we heard a couple of owls hooting, and the wind blowing nonstop, but that's about it –we woke to a delicious breakfast that Bill and Nancy had prepared for us.

Then, we wanted to drive around Wildwood, NJ itself for an hour or so before driving down to Cape May, and remember that Pleasantville vibe I was referring to earlier? How much more in the era can you get than this sign in front of a motel?

We visited the Boardwalk and found it to be quite deserted indeed, but strangely beautiful….

There's a reason the Candlelight Inn is one of the few Bed & Breakfast establishments listed in the Select Registry of Distinguished Inns in North America. The Registry inspects every one off these Inns and often does so completely undercover.

For reservations, call 800-992-2632 or visit their site.

If you were to ask Mark Thompson about the grand opening of his store, the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, he would have envisioned it completely different from what actually transpired.

He took a chance on where he opened the store, for starters. The former fireboat house building needed a fresh coat of paint, and complete renovations from tail to toe. "For years, this part of New York was considered the rock bottom," he told a group of bloggers who visited the store on a trip. "From Red Hook all the way to Greenpoint, this was not the place people wanted to visit."

The fact that Thompson took a chance on the old ferry terminal says a lot about his vision and chutzpah. As Brooklyn's DUMBO area transitioned over time, it became well known for its water purification system. In the 1960s, the Kennedy administration started the water purification laws in the country, and New York "was really the last port to develop its water," says Thompson.

But today, DUMBO is well known for the quality of its water. So well known, in fact, that it's what sets apart Thompson's ice cream from the pack (among technique, excellent freezers and impeccable maintenance). This space was landmarked in the late 1970s and when it became available they were starting to unite the waterfront property in New York City. It was originally a fireboat house station, and then a firehouse. Since the city was in dire financial straits in the 1970s, they chose to close the fire station and that particular building was scheduled to be knocked down. "It was the same people who sought to build in the middle of Brooklyn Heights that kept this open," says Townsend.

So he purchased the building but did not open it to customers until 2001 since it took him four years to go through the permitting process to get a landmark for the business. "There were a lot of people who were upset that someone was going to open a business and make money on –God forbid –a city property," he says.

Thompson's grand opening was supposed to be on Sept. 12, 2001. "I gave away ice cream that Labor Day, we put a card outside, I said just give me two or three days to call it a grand opening on Sept. 12th."

After the September 11 tragedy, Thompson's dream seemed to fizzle into thin air. That particular area had so many Red Cross workers and the office of Emergency Management –which was in the Trade Center–set up in a building there (this has now been knocked down). "It's hard to explain…business wise, I was a nervous wreck," says Thompson. "But when such a tragedy happens it puts everything into perspective. Here I am selling ice cream."

So he did the right thing to do. He started giving away ice cream to those who wanted it. "I saw the strangest thing that happened to my business," he says. After 9/11, no media outlet was writing anything good about the area. It was- -understandably–such drastic news. Because of his sweet spot story, Thompson had a slew of media attention, from The New York Times to Food & Wine Magazine who all wanted news stories.

The fact that Thompson had a sweet spot and a sweet story in the middle of all this mess helped him rather than hindered him. While he couldn't "officially" open in September, he kept thinking that he should still go ahead with the store opening in October. "From October 15, 2011 till today, it's been on an uphill swing ever since." It was a nice little "engine that could" story in a bad time and I'm so thrilled it all worked out for him.

It ended up working out for Thompson and today the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is well known and well loved, serving eight varieties of Ice Cream that don't pretend to be anything fancy. So you won't see any Chunky Monkey or Rocky Road combinations but the friendly staff can create anything you want out of their staples of strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan and other flavors.

Thompson's goal was never to do anything too fancy. He wanted to make "Classic American-style flavor" ice cream, and he chose the eight flavors and has not had to change them once since the opening. 60 percent of his sales come from vanilla, chocolate and strawberry (70 percent of ice cream sales in the U.S. are vanilla ice cream—-if it ain't broke, don't fix it). "If you can't make vanilla right, don't try to make 50 or 60 other flavors," he says. He's got a point. If the foundation is solid, people will come.

His vision was of creating a place that was classic and tried and true, using the best ingredients and techniques. I tried the Chocolate Ice Cream on a Waffle Cone and I was taken by the real, genuine creaminess and the lack of any preservative or artificial sugar taste at all. This was genuinely good stuff.

A true "phoenix rising from the ashes" story.

The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory has two locations:

Brooklyn Heights    (718) 246-3963
Greenpoint   (718) 349-2506

The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory was a former firehouse

The group of bloggers who went to the Ice Cream Factory

The very hip, very retro entrance

Mark Thompson, owner of the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, originally scheduled the store to open on 9/12/2001

I so want this sign in my house!

"As Healthy as Chocolate Gets" sounds good to me

Who doesn't love hot chocolate and waffle cones?

Everything is better with chocolate ice cream!

Even Maria from The Culturist thinks so…

There are some places that I am hesitant to visit initially, but end up falling in love with. Travel is like a kaleidoscope in that aspect — you don't really know what you'll get until you get there.

Detroit is one visit I will always remember from 2011. There's so much to Motor City beyond the silver GM Building, the indefatigable assembly line pioneered by Ford, and the dreary thought of worker layoffs and stringent Unions. Detroit is for the foodie, the adventurer, the architect lover in all of us.

Beyond the Willy Wonka Car Production Factory: Detroit, a City for Serious Foodies

I visited Detroit in April, 2011 and drank in everything: from the developed, ethnic fabric in Dearborn, Michigan to the more run down outskirts like Corktown. Corktown is not pretty, by any stretch of the overactive imagination, but the area is a cultural melting pot and a fabric of Irish immigrant settlers and a now more hip, young urban crowd. Detroit is a place for foodies, and one iconic dining option –Slow's BBQ on Michigan Avenue — has reinvented the culinary vernacular.

As I discovered, Detroit has surprisingly polished and diverse food choices. It would take a very uncreative person to starve here. One of my favorite places to eat was Pizzeria Biga which boasts Neapalitano-style brick oven pizzas with chewy, flavorful crust. Getting a slice of pizza these days is akin to sipping a generously warm latte from Dunkin Donuts — genuine, quality, but expected. Pizzeria Biga ups the ante and really gives you a flavorful experience.

For restaurants that have that "fun factor" woven into their aura and decor, there is plenty of action in Greektown, considered the most famous neighborhood in Downtown Detroit. At Pegasus Taverna,with its unassuming exterior, there is much gaiety, action and familial laughter. Savvy servers bring flaming plates of Greek Kasseri cheese lit ablaze with brandy to your table (the dish is called Saganaki Opa and the servers really and do shout Opa –a word which is often used to describe a joyful occasion or emotion). The patrons clap, as though at a concert. The restaurant makes one relive scenes from My Big Fat Greek Wedding – minus the tacky.

A misty morning in Dearborn, Michigan

The Creme de la Creme of Museums

A visit to the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village alone will inspire to you to appreciate the amount of American innovation that occurred at the turn of the century. Ford's vision and motto was that "ordinary Americans can do extraordinary things" and he was a vast collector of iconic inventions (from Edison's Menlo Park home reproduction to the actual bicycle where the Wright Brothers worked in Dayton, Ohio), you can truly see the innovations that shaped America.

At a popular places like Greenfield village, you can see school buses filled with children on field trips, tourists eager to inhale the spirit of turn of the century America, and museum curators eager to show off their vast knowledge. Detroit is full of passionate people, eager to recount legends, pass on their knowledge to those keen to soak it up, and features the creme de la cream of automobile and American innovation museums. 

The sacred, iconic Piquette Plant Assembly, where Henry Ford and his team assembled the first Model T and several other models, is a museum pilgrimage that no automobile connoisseur could afford to miss. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, this unassuming mill-style building was home to the realization of Ford's singular, stubborn dream of providing every American with an affordable car.

Creaky stairs, original wooden floors, even Ford's old office corner — everything is preserved, loved, cherished. Each year, volunteers work on preserving the antique cars to make sure all parts are intact, polished, functional, and every second of their labor of love is a donation. What a testament to the vision of Ford, I thought, and what level of respect. Visitors can sit in a small room with benches and watch a documentary on Ford's vision and realization.

The Only Place in North America Where You Can Look South Toward Canada

In Detroit, I discovered what it felt like to be in the only place in North America where you can gaze South toward Canada (I remember being in the General Motors building, a tall, silvery cylindrical skyscraper that looked a futuristic lighthouse), towards Windsor.

A City of Architectural Masterpieces

From the unmistakeable Guardian Building that lights up the city skyline, to the distinctly Detroit Pewabic pottery (the eponymous school still operates today and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1991), there is so much square footage of Detroit devoted to architecture and the arts. Pewabic pottery is known for its distinct, almost phantasmagoric quality of glazing with rich and deep colors.

A newly renovated bedroom at The Henry, an Autograph Collection Hotel in Dearborn, MI

The outskirts of Detroit, en route to Corktown

Corktown may not be a place to linger or sit in a cafe, but it has spots that are being renovated.

In Corktown, at the intersection of Wabash & Michigan Avenues. You're not in Kansas anymore.

An iconic restaurant in Corktown and Detroit itself, Slow's BBQ has brought tourists, celebrities, locals together in pursuit of a

new revitalized cuisine. Surprisingly, there are a lot of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu.

A Brush Motor Company car stands on the original wooden floor at the Piquette Assembly Plant in Detroit. Volunteers painstakingly restore each and every car to perfection on an annual basis

Inside the iconic Guardian Building, considered to be one of Detroit's architectural masterpieces

The rich glazed Pewabic Pottery Tiles that are distinctly Detroit

Stately servers put on a show of "Saganaki Opa" (flaming Greek Kasseri cheese and brandy) at Pegasus Restaurant in Greektown

A city that is never on autopilot: Detroit at night