It seems that the number 13 is considered unlucky by many cultures around the world. And it’s considered even more unlucky if the date falls on a Friday!
There’s even a psychological term for the fear of the number 13, which was supposedly coined by none other than Sigmund Freud. But the etymology is actually of ancient Greek origin: Triskaidekaphobia. Those who suffer from it associate the number 13 with misfortune.
Triskaidekaphobia is the reason many New York City buildings don’t have a 13th floor. I had a photography studio for a while in a building in Manhattan that had no 13th floor. We always joked about what we would find if for some reason the elevator stopped between the 12th and 14th floors.
A few airlines and airports avoid the number 13 on aisles, flights, and gates. They do this sometimes out of logistics constraints, but mostly because of triskaidekaphobia according to the Wall Street Journal. I know of at least one person who wouldn’t sit in the 13th row in movie theaters. The same individual would even avoid watching television’s Channel 13 (PBS).
The belief is that the superstition originated with the Last Supper, when 13 individuals sat around the table for a Passover meal (12 apostles and Jesus) before Jesus was crucified.
Modern Greeks associate the date with the fall of the Byzantine Empire. Supposedly, on that date, Constantinople (modern day Istanbul) fell to the hordes of Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire. The dwindling Byzantine Empire came to an end when the Ottomans breached Constantinople’s defensive wall after besieging the city for 55 days. That happened on Sunday, May 29, 1453 which isn’t the 13th or a Friday. But when the digits of the year 1453 are added together, they equal 13!
For “triskies,” as they are known, the number 13 is frightening. But when the date falls on a Friday, it becomes horrifying. Such a double-whammy also has its own name: Paraskevidekatriaphobia – thanks also to the Greeks for coining that definition.
Hollywood capitalized on it by creating the Friday the 13th cycle of horror movies in which the ominous date is associated with a serial killer.
Mark of the beast image. Created by Melanie Votaw.
Another number with a “peculiar” name that’s also associated with a phobia is 666. It stems from the conviction that the number refers to the biblical “Mark of the Beast.” The Book of Revelation (Revelation 13:17-18) in the King James version of the Bible states that the “number of the beast” is “six hundred threescore and six,” which is indeed 666. This reference appears to be the origin of the superstition.
The events depicted in Revelation are extremely terrifying. When they are considered as a literal description of what is to come, it’s easy to see how a very serious fear could develop.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is the name of the phobia associated with the fear of “666.” That’s a mouthful!
The same friend who had triskaidekaphobia wouldn’t enter 666 Fifth Avenue, a Manhattan office building. That tower shed its superstitious address when Brookfield Asset Management bought the 99-year-old ground lease for it in 2018 and renamed it 660 Fifth Avenue.
This article was written on Friday, September 13, 2024. I finished writing at 13:00 hours (1:00 p.m.) I can report that nothing disastrous has happened yet!
Tea in the Sahara? Well, I didn’t have tea, but I did enjoy myself in the remarkable desert of Morocco. It was a landscape out of the movies, and the bright colors worn by the guys leading the camels just made it all the more beautiful.
A camel caravan in Morocco’s Sahara. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMy guide wrote my name in Arabic in the sand. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie VotawMorocco’s Sahara Desert. Photo by Melanie Votaw
If you’ve ever watched the TV show, The Zoo, on the Animal Planet channel, you’ve been behind the scenes at the Bronx Zoo, which is currently celebrating its 125th year. Covering 265 acres, it’s one of the largest and oldest zoos in the United States. But did you know that you can go there and have an in-person experience behind the scenes?
In the last few years, the zoo started offering up close experiences (called “Wild Encounters” on their website) with certain animals in a small room in the veterinary facility on the grounds. Each experience includes only about ten people, and in some cases, you can pet the animals.
Before you get up in arms about this, let me educate you about the Bronx Zoo. It’s managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which does a lot of great conservation work around the world. The zoo doesn’t take animals from the wild anymore, and in accordance with New York law, it houses no domestic animals unless they’re injured and unable to live in the wild. (They have two injured bald eagles, for example.)
They are adamant that they don’t force animals to participate in these close-up experiences with visitors. The animals do spend a lot of time in the same room where the experiences are held, so they have positive associations with the room. They get treats and training in there, for example.
The penguin experience at the Bronx Zoo. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Last year, I participated in the penguin experience, which included three Magellanic penguins, a species that hails from Patagonia in South America. We were allowed to pet one of them, who enjoys the pets down his back only. These birds were adorable and funny to watch. They’re even possessive of their human handlers and make lots of noise if they think another penguin is getting too much attention.
The penguins that participate in the visitor experience were known to be especially friendly with humans. In fact, they were so friendly that they had to be removed from the penguin exhibit within the zoo, as too many visitors tried to take them home.
This year, I took advantage of the cheetah experience. Of course, we did not pet this animal, and it was on a leash. But the cheetah named Triton was very calm because he trusts his human handlers and his companion dog. That’s right – zoos have learned that cheetahs respond well to companion dogs, which are usually golden retrievers, since they tend to be a calm breed.
Triton’s companion, Finn, entered the room first and assessed that there was no danger. He then lay down on the floor and started licking himself. That way, when Triton entered, he took a cue from Finn that all was well. He soon lay down, too, licked one of his human handlers’ hands, and started purring loudly.
We were told that cheetahs don’t roar, as their larynx isn’t equipped to make that sound, but their purr is deep and loud enough to sound like a growl. Of course, Triton was stunning, and he did lock eyes with me a couple of times, boring into my soul. It was all I could do not to cry in his presence because of the thrill of being so close to such a gorgeous animal. I had seen cheetahs on safari in South Africa at a pretty close distance, but at the zoo, I was within four feet of Triton.
When Triton walked to the door, his handlers knew he was ready to leave, so they opened the door and let him. That was Finn’s cue to get pets and love from everyone in the room – his favorite part. So we all got to spend a little more time with Triton’s golden retriever companion.
Before they brought Triton into the room, we were treated to a surprise – a fennec fox, which is a species from North Africa. This female fox has taken part in the visitor experiences for a long time, and she gets treats in the room. So she seemed very happy to be with us. She took a stroll around the room, sniffing shoes and had the zoomies part of the time. We got to pet her back as a handler held her and brought her to each of us. Her fur was extraordinarily soft.
The fennec fox at the Bronx Zoo. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I trust the Bronx Zoo to be good to their animals. They’ve come a long way from the days in the early 1980s when the big cats were still held in cages. My first visits to the zoo were back during those times, so I remember them well. Now, all of the large animals have big habitats that are reminiscent of where they would live in the wild.
A langur in Jungle World at the Bronx Zoo. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The zoo also has breeding programs, often of endangered species, that help to keep the species alive. They watch the DNA carefully to make sure there isn’t in-breeding that would damage the blood lines. In order to do this, they have relationships with other zoos around the world that are also breeding animals. This allows them to send an animal to another location or receive one from a different zoo to breed with one of their animals.
A gorilla at the Bronx Zoo. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
It’s hard to visit all of the exhibits in a single day. There are African animals in large habitats, as well as a separate gorilla habitat in which you can view them behind glass. There are lots of Asian animals with a separate building housing Asian jungle animals (called Jungle World), also in fairly large natural-looking habitats even though it’s indoors.
A visitor feeds a budgie in the budgie habitat at the Bronx Zoo. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Other special exhibits include a butterfly house, the “World of Birds,” an indoor free-flying budgie exhibit in recent years for which they give you sticks with seeds to feed the birds, a treetop rope course, a monorail, a Madagascar exhibit, a tiger exhibit, a building that houses nocturnal animals, a carousel made up of bugs and butterflies, and more.
A zebra at the Bronx Zoo. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you visit New York City, I strongly urge you (no matter your age) to visit the Bronx Zoo. From midtown Manhattan, the subway ride will take 45 minutes to an hour, but it’s worth the trek. The walk from the subway is less than 10 minutes.
A Komodo dragon at the Bronx Zoo. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you want an up close animal experience, however, you will need to book it in advance on the zoo’s website. They publish a calendar for at least a month or two in advance, and they fill up fast.
With indelible memories of a visit several decades ago, I planned a return to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, where Irish lore and history is preserved in a lovely landscape setting. Rescued and restored by Lord and Lady Gort in the 1950s, medieval Bunratty Castle – ancient seat of the O’Briens and Macnamaras – is surrounded by a picturesque history park that was launched to preserve an antique home threatened with demolition during runway extension at nearby Shannon Airport.
Bunratty Castle is the village focal point. Photo courtesy of Bunratty.
Now the core of Bunratty Folk Park, the thatched roof farmhouse sits among a cluster of Victorian farmhouses and a vintage village, providing visitors with an authentic feeling for the way of life in early Ireland.
Thatched vintage houses nestle within Bunratty Folk Park. Photo courtesy of Bunratty.
Planning to check into the grand old hotel which I remembered for its historic details and period rooms, I was dismayed to discover it’s undergoing an extensive renovation. So I was delighted to discover Dunaree Bed & Breakfast in Bunratty, County Clare.
Just around the corner from the castle, a two-minute drive or ten-minute walk past the entrance, Dunaree B&B (its name derived from the term “place of the high kings”) enables guests to experience how the Irish live today. (The top photo is of the Dunaree B&B cottage.)
Operated since 1998 by retired tourism professionals Penny and Kevin O’Donnell, the B&B is a modern two-story, Tudoresque bungalow nestled just past the Folk Park’s south border along a picturesque country road with horses, cattle, and sheep grazing in pastures across the street.
Curved stone walls invite guests to Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
Dunaree is open on weekdays, accommodating up to ten guests, and has rooms with twin or queen size beds overlooking a yard of emerald green Irish grass bordered by hedges and flowers. Rooms are en suite and furnished with tasteful quilts and pillows. Pine desks provide plenty of drawers and space to hang garments.
Television sets with remote controls face the beds, tabletop lamps are plentiful and convenient, and drinking water, tissues, and hair dryers are supplied. Free wifi is available throughout the house.
One snug room is still embellished with the sports medals and childhood drawings of one of the two O’Donnell sons, both now grown and living in London.
Guests are greeted in a comfortable lounge at Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.Rooms at Dunaree B&B are furnished in a traditional style. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
Visitors are encouraged to spend time in the downstairs living room/lounge where a cozy fire beside comfortable sofas and a plush window seat encourage browsing through stacks of books picturing gardens, local destinations, and lore. Or you can watch TV on the big screen there. On the lawn outdoors, tables and chairs are tucked into vernal vignettes amid flowers and plants pruned and tended by Kevin.
Guests can relax by the fireplace in the lounge at Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.There are comfortable spots to relax outdoors at Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
Self-serve tea and coffee with biscuits is available all day on a pine sideboard counter in the dining room. Both continental and full Irish breakfasts are served in the morning. Guests arise to a buffet complete with cereals, yogurts, fruits, and breads. Penny supplements the buffet with the full breakfast, cooking up authentic Celtic morning fare of eggs, tomatoes, toast, ham, sausage, a slice of typical Irish blood pudding, and homemade scones fresh out of her oven.
Breakfast is served in the dining room at Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.Cereals, coffee, and tea are served on the dining room press at Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.Fruits and cheeses in the breakfast buffet at Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.Every morsel of a full Irish breakfast at Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.Penny’s homemade scones at Dunaree B&B. Photo by Sharon King Hoge.
For other meals, just down the road in the little cluster of shops on Bunratty Fair Green, The Creamery Pub & Food Barn serves honey-baked ham and cabbage, poached filet of Atlantic salmon, and other typical dishes with musicians performing traditional music every night on fiddles, pipes, accordions, and Celtic harps.
Vintage shops in the old-fashioned Folk Park village. Photo courtesy of Bunratty.
Across the street where it’s been located since 1620, Durty Nellie’s is a national landmark. It’s a first stop for many tourists arriving into Shannon. They pause in its warren of cozy rooms for slow-roasted lamb shanks, prime Irish Hereford steak, and its famous fish and chips served with a full range of whiskeys and ales.
For the adventurous, Dunaree can make meal reservations at Bunratty Castle’s medieval banquet. The concept of historic recreation meals originated here, and twice nightly, a traditional four-course feast and goblets of golden mead are served up at long plank tables. Actors are costumed in ruffed and tasseled velvet gowns and doublets, providing raucous entertainment.
The Bunratty Castle medieval banquet. Photo courtesy of Bunratty and by Brian Arthur.
While there is free off-street parking, Dunaree is easy to reach even without a car. Reliable bus service every half hour delivers travelers north to Shannon Airport and south to the attractions of Limerick where there are also convenient connections to destinations everywhere in the charming country.
It’s a great layover to or from Shannon Airport. I spent two days at Dunaree before flying home, leaving with my own experiences of Irish history to relish.
American Airlines news: Did you know that flight attendants aren’t paid for their time during boarding? I was shocked to learn this. But American Airlines flight attendants just signed a new contract that will get them paid for this time.
Delta Airlines news: Delta is doing away with its daytime flights from NYC to Paris. This is bad news for those who prefer the daytime flights as a way of beating jetlag.
Airplane. Stock photo.
Plane safety: MIT conducted a study of data from 2018 to 2022 and discovered that flying is safer than ever. They found that we each have a 13.7 million chance of dying on an aircraft. I’ll take those odds.
Investigation of frequent flyer programs: The US Department of Transportation is investigating large US airlines (Delta, American, Southwest, and United) to make sure their frequently flyer programs are fair to consumers. Good!
Free in-flight Wi-Fi? It looks like US airlines are moving toward free Wi-Fi on planes. United is testing this throughout 2025 and planning to roll it out for free in 2026. Meanwhile, Delta is rolling it out gradually, and JetBlue already has it.
GENERAL TRAVEL NEWS
More over-tourism news: In another country’s effort to cut down on the number of tourists converging on popular destinations, Greece is planning to charge cruise passengers 20 Euros each to visit Santorini and Mykonos during the busy summer season.
Cruise news: While sailing in Alaska earlier this month, a Carnival Spirit cruise ship hit “an errant piece of drifting ice.” Luckily, after hours of holding still for an assessment of damage, the ship was determined to be unharmed, and no passengers were hurt.
There is a lot to love about Monastero Santa Rosa, the luxury hotel on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. It’s the gardens that are my favorite part of this property, however. They’re spectacular, and I don’t use that word frivolously.
The gardens of Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Four levels of gardens below the hotel building overlook a 180-degree Mediterranean panoramic view that includes the nearby village of Amalfi. Not even on Santorini have you seen anything like it. Each level contains majestic white stepping stones with fragrant flowers everywhere.
The gardens of Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The stunning infinity pool is right on the edge of the cliff, and there is a hot tub next to it where you can relax and look out on the vista. There are so many places to sit and lounge that you could get lost in the gardens and not see another soul for a long time. After all, the hotel only has 20 rooms and suites – all with a sea view.
The gardens of Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Located in the tiny village of Conca dei Marini, which is about a ten-minute drive from the town of Amalfi and a 1-1/2-hour drive or 50-minute ferry ride from Naples, Monastero Santa Rosa is right on the Amalfi Coast’s Blue Highway with its famous views and hairpin turns.
The gardens of Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you’d rather not make that drive (I recommend hiring a driver rather than trying to do it yourself), you can spring for a helicopter that will drop you right below the hotel. If you’re worried you’ll miss the views while in the air, never fear. The helicopter will take you right over Mount Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompeii.
The entrance of Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
One of the nicest things about this hotel is that it’s largely secluded but very close to the action. Their driver took me to Amalfi, where I could take a bus, a ferry, or hire a car or yacht to other points on the Coast.
The beautiful cathedral in Amalfi. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Amalfi has a lovely cathedral, by the way, that is a rare example in Italy of Moorish architecture. Ravello is also especially close, and ferries from Amalfi can easily take you to the Isle of Capri, Positano, or Naples.
The owner of Monastero Santa Rosa is Bianca Sharma, an American who fell in love with the property when visiting Italy many years ago, and as luck would have it, the building and grounds were for sale. The building and grounds had fallen into disrepair after a long history that began in the 17th century as a convent.
My room at Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Sharma had research conducted to find out what indigenous plants were grown there by the nuns, and she has had many of the same plants installed in the garden. She also named each of the rooms after one of those plants.
The contraption that nuns used to deliver herbs to locals while staying sequestered. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
There is still evidence of the convent throughout the property. A window grate remains that allowed the sequestered nuns to speak to people without being seen. There is also an interesting contraption with shelves that swings around. The nuns sold herbs to the community, so they could put the herbs in the contraption, swing it around, and deliver the remedies without making contact with the outside world. As you walk through the halls, you’ll also notice black and white photos of the monastery in its original state.
A hallway at Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The outside of the building, as well as the inner arched hallways and vaulted ceilings, still look like a monastery. That’s part of the charm, of course. The antiques throughout the halls are colorful, though, and they brighten up the interior. It took nearly ten years for Sharma to get the building and gardens the way she wanted them.
Lots of walls had to be torn down in order to make the rooms larger, and each room has been individually decorated with antiques. My room had an amazing view of the Gulf of Salerno and Amalfi in the near distance. I had a large tub, as well as a rain shower with temperature control. The suites include one that is bi-level and has its own private patio overlooking the seascape that’s big enough to hold small gatherings.
The spa at Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Monastero has a spa as well. The skin care product line that they use has been created from the recipes of 17th century Dominican monks, and the spa adheres to a very natural philosophy. Even the nail polish is organic. There are treatment rooms indoors and a treatment area outside.
Outdoor seating at the Michelin star restaurant at Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The hotel also has a restaurant and a bar with a Michelin star. The restaurant is just above the gardens, and you can sit inside, enjoy the view of the sea while dining outside, or take your meals pool-side down below. All three meals of the day are served using local organic ingredients, including greens grown on site. Even the olive oil is local.
Of course, the Amalfi Coast is famous for its seafood and pasta. The chef serves dishes like lobster with chickpea puree and has created his own signature pasta shape. There is a sommelier and wine cellar on site, too.
The door to Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Monastero Santa Rosa is a perfect spot for a honeymoon or a quiet vacation. If you want a more active exploration of the Amalfi Coast, it also serves as a great base that’s peaceful when you’re there but close enough to everything else when you want to go sightseeing. It’s truly one of those unique hotels you’ll never forget.
The author received complimentary accommodation at this hotel, but as always, we are dedicated to providing unbiased opinions about properties, restaurants, and destinations.
Are you confused about the difference between port and sherry? Port is fortified during fermentation. Sherry is fortified after fermentation. Port tends to be sweeter, while sherry usually has a slightly higher alcohol content.
Now, let’s talk about port in more detail. Portugal is well-known for its wines and especially the wines of Porto (or Oporto), which are the port wines.
Porto is a town on the Atlantic shore of the mainland by the mouth of the Douro River (also known in Spain as the Duero). These wines, mostly demi-sec or sweet, became famous since the 17th Century because they were beloved by the British.
Local companies were producing and shipping these delightful tipples to London. As a result, many of the wine-producing or shipping companies dealing in ports were owned or managed by Brits.
Touriga Franca grapes. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The most usual grapes used in port vinification are Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Cāo, Tempranillo, Boal, and Tinta Amarela. Boal is the only white grape, while all others are red.
In Portugal, I drink either ports or Madeira wines. I believe that local gastronomy is geared toward making great dishes to accompany these great local wines. So I order accordingly.
Taylor, Fladgate Yeatman Barrel and Vat room, Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Most ports on the market are non-vintage wines. There is normally a “house style,” which means that the winemaker will blend wines from assorted vintages to achieve the winery’s particular look and taste. When you see 10, 20, 30, or more years-old port marked on a bottle, it just means that the oldest wine in the blend was of that age.
A few of the better wineries make “vintage ports,” and in that case, the bottle contains only wines from that particular year. It doesn’t mean that the wine is better or will last longer. In reality, it means they were able to achieve the “house style” using only a wine blend from different vineyard parcels on that particular year.
1994, 2007, 2011, and 2017 were exceptional years rated at 98 or 99 points out of 100. If you have any of those, drink the 1994 now and possibly the 2007. You can cellar the rest for a few more years or even decades.
1927 was the only 20th century year I can think of that achieved 100 out 100 points, but none are in the market any longer. Even collectors have drunk this exceptional wine.
Because of the warming caused by climate change, more vintages are achieving the high 90 points than ever before. Therefore, great ports and sherries are becoming more available and at slightly more stable pricing.
Now to sherry. In Spain, sherry has been produced for almost 30 centuries in the southern region, centered in Jerez de la Frontera.
Shakespeare mentions sherry in Henry IV, Part II, Act IV, Scene III. Another famous writer, the American Edgar Allan Poe, also wrote a well-known short story called “The Cask of Amontillado.”
Gonzalez Byass Solera barrels. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The British also love a good sherry and will serve them at any occasion. There are only three grapes used for sherry production: Palomino, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximenez (PX), but 90% of sherry is made from barely ripe Palomino grapes.
Sherry can vary from very dry to very sweet, and they’re classified in three major categories:
Generosos: These are considerably dry winesmade exclusively from Palomino grapes: Fino (the driest), Amontillado, Palo Cortado, and Oloroso (an almost demisec wine).
Dulces Naturales:Theseare naturally sweet wines made exclusively from Moscatel or Pedro Ximénez and named after the respective grapes used.
Generosos de Licor:These are blended wines made from a base of dry wine that is sweetened by adding a naturally sweet wine or concentrated grape must. There are three sub-types: Pale Cream, Medium, and Cream.
Pedro Ximenez (PX) grapes on the vine. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Sherry has been produced for thousands of years. However, when Spain joined the European Economic Community, that alliance was beneficial in general for the Spanish economy, while a misfortune for sherry producers. This is because the generous state subsidies that were given to the sherry industry to keep the prices (and especially the export prices) very competitive suddenly disappeared, causing the prices to rise significantly.
That lack of aid also forced many smaller wine growers to uproot their vines and turn their land into other, more profitable crops. This means the prices are continuing on an upward trend.
Whenever I’m in Madrid, San Sebastian, or another part of Spain, I order a Fino or an Amontillado with my tapas. Click here to learn more about my experience in Spain with sherry.
Gonzalez Byass 1967 Anada. Photo courtesy of Gonzalez Byass.
Because many houses use the Solera method, they can’t put a vintage date on their sherry wines. There are a few, such as Gonzales Byass that do produce “anadas.” This means an individual vintage statically aged, not in a Solera. The 1964 Byass Oloroso still lives in my memory, and a 1982 bottle is peacefully aging in my cellar.
I have been currently drinking a 2021 Lustau East India Solera Cream as an aperitif and enjoying every sip. You can get bottles of that good vintage. If you try it, I’m sure you will like it as well. To your health!
I’ve seen the Rockies, the Andes, and the Himalayas, but honestly, Morocco’s Atlas Mountains may be the most beautiful range of them all. Judge for yourself!
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I just published a piece about the Harriet Tubman historical sites in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York, including her home, church, and gravesite. Besides visiting the numerous wineries in this Finger Lakes region, there are many wonderful restaurants where you can sample some truly special cuisine.
The Elderberry Pond Restaurant menu and table setting. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Elderberry Pond Restaurant in Auburn, NY at 3712 Center Street is on the grounds of a certified organic farm, which is its own source of many fruits, vegetables, herbs, and pasture-raised meats. Each day, it gets freshly caught fish from Boston. They also grow more than 50 varietals of apples on the property.
Brie bruschetta with balsamic vinaigrette at Elderberry Pond Restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The wine list includes bottles from around the world, but I went for a Riesling from the Thirsty Owl Wine Company in the Finger Lakes’ Ovid, New York. (I liked it so much that I promptly ordered 6 bottles.)
I had vegetable linguine with a lemon wine sauce at Elderberry Pond Restaurant, and it was delectable. If you’re a vegetarian, you won’t be disappointed. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
While the exterior looks like a large red barn, the interior is quite elegant. It’s casual fine dining personified. Kudos to Executive Chef Chris Lego and Pastry Chef & Dining Room Manager Cheryl McDonald. I was enormously impressed with their menu and the quality of their dishes. Everyone in my group ordered different things, but not one person had a complaint. All I heard was a satisfied “mmmmm…” from each chair.
Someone else in my party had yummy lobster ravioli at Elderberry Pond Restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.For dessert at Elderberry Pond Restaurant, I had this chocolate cake with raspberry filling and buttercream frosting. I wish I had some more of it right now! Photo by Melanie Votaw.
New Hope Mills Cafe & Store in Auburn at 181 York Street is a family-owned establishment that has been around for three generations and since 1823 (more than 200 years now). It’s famous for its pancake mixes, so it might ring a bell. The store is super cute, but it also has a cafe. It was so much more than I expected.
Coconut pancakes with raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and white chocolate sauce at New Hope Mills Cafe & Store in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Take a look at this menu. You can create your own pancakes. I went for one of their creations, though – the coconut pancakes with raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and a drizzle of white chocolate sauce. OMG! I’ve never had anything like this, but it was to-die-for! I tasted someone else’s biscuits and gravy – also excellent.
The create your own pancakes menu at New Hope Mills Cafe & Store. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Biscuits & gravy at New Hope Mills Cafe & Store. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The exterior of New Hope Mills Cafe & Store in Auburn. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The store at New Hope Mills Cafe & Store. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Aurora Cooks! provides chef’s table dinners in Aurora, NY, which is also in the Finger Lakes region not too far from Auburn. With a minimum of settings around the kitchen, the chefs make the meal right in front of you and describe it as they do. We had the good fortune of sampling the talents of Chef Lou Ruscitto-Donato, who provided a meal worth writing home about.
Upon arrival, we were given a glass of champagne. Then, Lou made us homemade margaritas – the best I’ve ever tasted. Our first course was a salad of local fresh greens, and I’m talking truly fine greens, along with yellow watermelon slices, and pancetta.
Aurora Cooks! fresh green salad with yellow watermelon slices and pancetta. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Our second course consisted of a divine polenta with goat cheese, basil (something akin to a pesto sauce), and pieces of dehydrated black olives. The tomatoes were the most delicious ones I’ve ever had in my life.
Aurora Cooks! polenta with basil, tomatoes, goat cheese, and dried black olives. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Our third course consisted of scallops atop roasted potatoes and charred broccoli with slightly spicy corn in a lemon beurre blanc sauce. I had never had charred broccoli before, but it was tasty enough that I want to try making it at home. The combination of these flavors was unique and exceptional.
Aurora Cooks! scallops, roasted potatoes, charred broccoli, and spicy corn in a lemon beurre blanc sauce. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Chef Lou’s dessert was homemade peach ice cream over vanilla cake. It was the perfect exclamation point at the end of our memorable meal. We also had both white and red wine during the course of the dinner.
Chef Lou’s homemade peach ice cream on vanilla cake. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Cafe 108 in Auburn at 108 Genesee Street is a community gathering space, and every dollar spent goes to the Auburn Public Theater (APT). While the breakfast food here was the usual fare, I’m all for championing theater!
The Apple Station Winery is a fun and different kind of winery that’s family-owned and located in nearby Cayuga, New York at 5279 Cross Road. Most of their wines are made from apples – something I had never tried before. I wouldn’t call them “fine wines,” but they were quite tasty and with automobile-inspired names you won’t soon forget like Dipstick and Chassis Lube.
Stop by there while you’re in the Finger Lakes area for an unusual and inexpensive tasting experience. And give their rescue dog, Bear Bear, a butt scratch (his favorite).
Apple Station winery exterior. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The inside of Apple Station Winery. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Apple Station Winery. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Apple Station apple wines. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
While my meals and drinks were subsidized while I was in Cayuga County, my superlatives are 100% sincere. The meals described here were some of the best I’ve had anywhere in a long time. If you’re in Auburn or other parts of the Finger Lakes, do yourself a favor by eating at all of these establishments. You will thank me.
I’m sure you know about Harriet Tubman, who famously saved many enslaved people during the Civil War by personally transporting them through the Underground Railroad. But I’ll bet there’s a lot you don’t know about her, such as the fact that she settled in Auburn, Cayuga County, New York and lived there until her death in 1913.
As a result, you can visit her grave, her home, and her church in the area, as well as other sites significant to the Underground Railroad.
I was fortunate to take part in a recent subsidized press trip through the area, along with other travel journalists and influencers. It was extremely moving, and the region is exceptionally beautiful because it’s situated in New York’s Finger Lakes area.
The New York Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Our first stop on our itinerary was the New York Equal Rights Heritage Center at 25 South Street, which focuses on much more than Harriet, but she is certainly a big part of it. For example, there’s a beautiful bronze statue of her in the courtyard of the building and a Harriet Tubman Memorial Mosaic on the rear wall (facing Lincoln Street).
A quilt depicting Harriet Tubman at the New York Equal Rights Heritage Center. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A Harriet Tubman quote at the New York Equal Rights Heritage Center. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The Harriet Tubman statue outside the New York Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie VotawThe marker at the Harriet Tubman statue at the New York Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw
Just steps from that building sits the Seward House Museum at 33 South Street. It’s the home of William H. Seward, a New York State Senator, a U.S. Senator, a New York Governor, and the U.S. Secretary of State under President Lincoln. He also famously negotiated the purchase of Alaska, so his home contains some Native Alaskan artifacts from that time.
The Seward House Museum in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
His wife, Frances Seward, is the one who invited Harriet to move to Auburn from Canada, and Frances even sold Harriet the property where she built her home. That sale was illegal at the time because women were not allowed to own property.
An interior room in the Seward House Museum. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Frances Seward was an avid abolitionist, while her politician husband was more “anti-slavery.” Abolitionists wanted to end all slavery immediately, while anti-slavery advocates wanted to end it gradually so as not to cause economic problems.
Despite this disagreement among the Sewards, their basement was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad and now houses an exhibit called, “Forged in Freedom: The Bond of the Seward and Tubman Families.”
The basement of the Seward House, which was the former kitchen that became a place to hide freedom-seeking enslaved people during the Civil War. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Almost everything in the Seward home is original, and it contains quite a few historic artifacts, including Seward’s diplomatic gallery with many photos of presidents, kings, queens, foreign ministers, and diplomats from around the world during his time period. There are also gorgeous family portraits by Emanuel Leutze, who is the famous painter of “Washington Crossing the Delaware.”
A portion of the diplomatic gallery in the Seward House Museum in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
After visiting the Seward House Museum, take a stroll on Auburn’s historic South Street. It’s not only lovely but contains several historic buildings.
From there, we visited Fort Hill Cemetery, which is where you can find Harriet Tubman-Davis’s grave and headstone, which is engraved, “Servant of God, Well Done.” Her nieces and nephews planted a pine tree behind it, which makes her grave easy to find. The tree is now quite large.
Harriet Tubman’s grave in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie VotawThe pine tree behind Harriet Tubman’s grave in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw
Another stop is the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park on 47 Parker Street in Auburn. This is the site of Harriet’s church at the time of her death, which she helped raise funds to build. She specified in her will that the church would oversee her estate and legacy. Called the Thompson Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion Church for short), it’s open to the public and has been restored to its 1913 appearance. It now acts as a welcome center for the Park.
Brittany Lane, Lead Park Ranger at the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, gave us a wonderful talk in the AME Zion Church. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Notice the dark red design toward the ceiling behind Ranger Brittany in the previous photo. This is a photo of a portion of the original design that still remains in the church after it was replicated during the restoration. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We were also very excited to meet one of Harriet’s very own descendants. While we were visiting the church, Harriet’s great great grandniece drove by in her car and graciously chatted with us for a few minutes. That was a huge and welcome surprise!
Harriet Tubman’s house on the grounds of the visitor center in Auburn, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Not to be missed is the Harriet Tubman Visitor Center on the grounds of her home and the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged, which she built for former enslaved people who needed a place to live as they grew older. The AME Zion Church established a non-profit called the Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., which maintains the homestead.
Harriet’s Home for the Aged in Auburn. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The marker on the Home for the Aged. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The highlight of our visit to this location was the presentation by Reverend Paul Carter, who is the last person to live in the home and the last pastor at AME Zion Church in its original location. Watch the video to learn the proper terms to use when talking about slavery.
Rev. Carter has been giving these presentations for more than 30 years and doesn’t seem to have tired of it at all. Clearly, he’s passionate about communicating Harriet’s legacy, and he does so in a way that masterfully strikes a balance between reverence and humor. I think it takes great skill to bring tasteful humor to a presentation on such painful subject matter. He was so much fun to listen to!
But now, let’s talk a little more about Harriet herself. She was born into slavery around 1820 in Maryland (her exact birthdate, as is true of many enslaved people of the time, is uncertain). She escaped at the assumed age of 27, after which she traveled back to Maryland at great risk to rescue more members of her family and other enslaved people as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad.
Harriet is also the only woman who led troops during the Civil War, and there is no record of her ever losing a soldier. She served as a spy and a nurse for the Union Army as well.
When she was 13 years old, a white enslaver threw a two-pound weight in anger toward an enslaved man. Harriet jumped in the middle and took a blow to the back of her head, which left her with what doctors now believe is a type of epilepsy. At first, they thought it was narcolepsy because she periodically passed out from the injury and would wake up sometime later ready to finish her sentence.
She suffered great pain from this for most of the rest of her life until she had surgery. But she chose to bite on a bullet rather than be given anesthesia. Wow!
We were told that Harriet was the type of person who would give someone else the last two coins in her purse. Sometimes, people diminish her legacy because she wasn’t the only conductor on the Underground Railroad. But after you hear more about her, even beyond her days as a conductor, you become aware of what an extraordinarily strong, courageous, and unfailingly generous woman she was. Considering everything she went through, it’s amazing she lived to be about 91 years old.
Harriet never had any biological children, and her second husband predeceased her by a few years. She did adopt a child, however, named Gertie Davis.
If you’ve seen the film, Harriet, starring Cynthia Erivo, you know some of what you’re reading here, but we were told that the film is not 100% accurate. Still, it’s “mostly” accurate.
To get to Auburn, you can fly into Rochester and drive about 1-1/4 hours or fly into Syracuse and drive just over a half hour.
Frederick Douglass’s grave in Rochester, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The marker leading to Frederick Douglass’s grave in Rochester, NY needs to be changed, as he was NOT an “escaped slave.” He was a freedom-seeking enslaved person. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Susan B. Anthony’s grave in Rochester, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you start in Rochester or just want to make that trip, you can visit the graves of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass at Mt. Hope Cemetery, as well as the Let’s Have Tea Sculpture at 31 Madison Street depicting Susan and Frederick having tea together, as they were good friends. This sculpture is in a small park across the street from the Susan B. Anthony Museum, which I will have to go back to visit.
The Let’s Have Tea Sculpture in Rochester, NY. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
While you’re in the area, be sure to do some hiking and visit the Finger Lakes because it’s absolutely stunning. But I can’t recommend visiting the Harriet Tubman sites enough, especially if you’re a history buff. It will bring this important historical figure to life for you and help you see her as she truly was.
The Finger Lakes region of New York. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We stayed at the three-star Hilton Garden Inn at 74 State Street in Auburn, which was perfectly fine for our purposes, but there are more luxurious places to stay if you prefer. Nearby Aurora, New York is famous for its historic Inns of Aurora, so you might want to check those out. I wasn’t able to go inside them, but their exteriors were gorgeous.
Be sure to also read my article on where to eat in the area, and let me just say you will NOT be disappointed! There are a number of incredible restaurants that I can’t praise enough, and you simply must try to have a meal at each one. Of course, this area is also famous for its wineries. We only had time to visit one that makes wine from apples, which I wrote about in my “where to eat” story.
