Photo Scavenger Hunt Update #2

Dear readers, we came upon a number of additional items to add to our photo scavenger hunt, and wanted to share them with you. Enjoy!

Item #25 (H/T to Jeff for telling us where to find these. When I asked the guy at the counter if I could take a picture, he said, "Sure, knock yourself out." I responded, "Thanks, I'll try not to."):





Item #36:



Item #26:



Item #11 (OK, so we don't really know who this guy is, or even if he's a celebrity, but we figured hey, if someone's willing to go to that much trouble to videotape him, he's got to be more important than, say, us):



Item #23:



Item #34:



Item #18:



Item #17:



Item #28:



Item #14 (H/T to Abby for cluing us in on the Valewood Farms activities! They were so much fun!):





Unfortunately, we forgot to bring our camera out with us today, but since we didn't see a Lucky Strike-branded limousine in doggie clothing, it's OK.

Consulting the Tea Leaves

Check out the great interview that Joe Doyle was kind enough to give us. I apologize about all the background noise; I didn't realize it was so prominent until I viewed the video just now, and my meager video editing skills don't allow me to temper it. That notwithstanding, I hope you get a sense for what a wealth of information Mr. Doyle has about tea, but also about the history surrounding it.

We had the roibos/red bush cocoa and caramel that Joe mentions in the video, and it was wonderful. The cocoa flavor was subtle, and not at all overpowering. Probably owing to our never having had roibos before, the tea didn't agree with us, but we will definitely be buying more tea from Joe.

Gastronomic Globe-Trotting

While taking our mystery trip through central PA on Thursday, we stopped into Wegman's in State College for the bounteous feast you see in the picture. We really like Wegman's international section, and often try some of the more unusual foods they have. Since I (Jason) am of Mediterranean descent and grew up in a very culturally diverse area, there's always something interesting to try.

There were some things we knew we would like, a couple that looked good and at least one that gave us real cause for concern. So step in the balloon, and join us for Around the World in 800 calories:

1. Alu Mutter: If you've ever been to an Indian buffet, you've probably had this. The label describes it as "Baby potatoes and green peas in a delectable curry." We were impressed with this brand of Alu Mutter before, and it did not disappoint.
2. Palak Paneer: Another popular Indian dish, the box proudly proclaims, "A delectable combination of tender chunks of cottage cheese and fresh, green spinach." What it doesn't mention is the significant kick the curry has which, depending on your inclination, is either wonderful or torturous. Since we both like spicy food, this got two thumbs up.
3. Honey Soy Ginger: The box announces itself as "Hokkien noodles with honey soy ginger sauce and baby corn." The combination of honey and ginger was a fun surprise to me. We served it right from the box, but it would make a great meal supplemented by some chicken.
4. Roghani Nan Bread: It was a tough decision, at first, choosing whether to get Nan bread or pita bread. Ultimately, we decided that the nan would work best with Indian cuisine. This bread had the added bonus that the bread company, Kontos, is based in Paterson, NJ, maybe 3-4 miles from my (first) childhood home.
5. Turkish Delight: Inspired to get this dessert by the "Chronicles of Narnia" books and movies, we had high hopes for this one. I've seen lots of different things called a Turkish delight, but this one was basically a fruit-flavored jelly candy covered in chocolate, and with a hint of rose fragrance; it was good, but not to my liking. The main problem was the rose fragrance, (which was clearly labeled on the outside). I guess I just haven't jumped on the flower eating bandwagon (yet).
6. Rambutan in Syrup: This was the weirdest thing we've eaten in a long time. I'll admit that I was on the lookout for something unusual, and when I saw what looked like a cross between a sea anemone and a hedgehog, I was intrigued. The fruits themselves resemble something between a hard-boiled egg and a fresh mozzarella ball, and they have a subtle, sweet flavor that makes us wonder if they're flavorless without the syrup in which they're stored. It's not the flavor, though, that poses the problem: it's the texture, which is rather rubbery and indicative of the "firming agent" that is mentioned in the ingredient list. According to WiseGeek.com, "The rambutan is a sweet fruit that most palates find appealing," which gives us hope that someone in the online community will help us figure out what to do with them (in fact, if you have any family rambutan recipes, please feel free to pass them on). Who knows, maybe we can auction it off on ILoveAltoona to the highest bidder.
7. Pocky: "Biscuit sticks covered with strawberry cream," this item was kid-tested, parent-approved. We appreciated the lack of artificial food coloring, and Elise liked its pink color.

So, those are the results of our culinary carnival. Leave us a comment and let us know if you've tried anything above, and what you thought of it. And if there's something you think we should try on our next endeavor, we'll be willing to consider it (but if you're even thinking ostrich eggs, don't bother).

Guest Co-Blogger

We just received word at Staycationer Central that we will have available to us the services of a guest staycationer and a great family friend! Please click here to solve the puzzle that will reveal our mysterious stranger's identity.

The Splurge Tradition

Ever since our first staycation in October of 2006, one of the traditions we've maintained is giving ourselves a little of a "Mad Money" account come vacation time. This usually has a couple different effects, namely: (1) we tend to eat out about once per day during our staycations, and (2) we tend to buy things that have a certain amount of sentimental value during those times. We do the second because it makes those times enormously special in retrospect. Our dear friend Karen Campbell once told us, about the birth of our daughter, "Get each other something really special for when you go into the hospital; if you don't make this day special, no one else is going to make it special for you." We soon realized that this nugget of wisdom could (and should) be applied much more broadly than to the birth of our children.

Since then, we have been making a point to find things that will remind us of staycations from days gone by. In 2006, we got: (1) a couple of pieces of blue glass that are still sitting in our kitchen, and still in use (some of it is depression-era), (2) a copy of Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief" which we watched last several months ago, and (3) the missing volume of Winston Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples which, I confess, I have not yet read. (Mark Twain once said that "a classic is something everyone wants to have read and no one wants to read.")

The staycation of 2007 brought us: (1) the entire DVD collection of "All Creatures Great and Small", an adaptation of books by English veterinarian James Herriot, and (2) a great reproduction of a painting of the Juniata railyards, which currently hangs on our wall, and whose genuine article is seven blocks from our house.

Two thousand eight's staycation is no different, except that my wife has applied her superhuman powers of gift-giving and –arranging to the task, placing the beauteous display which you see above on the table when I entered our house and officially launched staycation '08; the gift also served to congratulate me on completing a seminar presentation at work. It is with great joy that I present each item:

1. The Newest Issue of Wondertime: Wondertime is a parenting magazine put out by the Walt Disney Company and, for all their other faults, Disney seems to let them do exactly what they do best. The articles are very thought-provoking (if ideologically predictable) and some of the graphic design work and photography are pure genius.
2. VeggieTunes 3: A King, a Queen and a Very Bluberry: Say what you will, the stuff produced by Big Idea, Inc., is some of the smartest, funniest and most inspirational work in the children's market today, relative underground status notwithstanding. This features some of their best songs.
3. Bella: This movie was also one of the indie hits of the year, and we've heard it presents a strong pro-life message. We haven't watched it yet, so hopefully we'll be able to give a more thorough review when we do.
4. Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares: No further explanation is required.
5. Archer Farms Blood Orange Italian Soda: In a work that is already being called "The Rocky of our Generation", this drink is distinguishing itself not only as the next Pepsi, but also the next Sly Stallone. I have it on good authority that this tall drink of water does all his own stunts.
6. Blue Moo and Rhinoceros Tap: Some time ago, Sandra Boynton changed from "author and artist" to "force of nature". Through her greeting cards, board books, plush toys, etc. etc. and so on, and such like, Boynton manages to be simultaneously funny, poignant, witty, charming, and very very smart. These picture books also feature CDs of artists (like B.B. King) singing old favorites like "Blue Moo ‘62" and "Barnyard Dance". For us, listening to these inspires two immediate thoughts: (1) "This is great. I love this!", and (2) "Am I allowed to get this excited over kids' music?"

Well, there you have it: this year's staycation splurges. Go out and get them while supplies last, as a mention from this blog has been known to throw several online retailers into prolonged backorder mode. Or maybe I just made that up.

Update: Photo Scavenger Hunt

Dear Readers: Here are a couple snapshots we took whilst wandering about Central Pennsylvania. Feel free to write comments with links to your photos, either to hit items on the list we haven't gotten to yet, or things you felt better capture the moment than what we've posted so far.

Thanks!

Item #6:


Item #1:


Item #30:


Item #8:


Item #37:


Item #24:


Item #27:


Item #9:


Item #3:


Item #35:

Cha-Ching!

Thrift Store Price Tag: $25.00


Price We Paid: $3.50


And here's the silver serving fork that was thrown in:


We think this silver electric warming dish will be perfect for an upcoming family wedding.

Family Fun

Elise plays peek-a-boo with Noah during a roadtrip.





"Train up a child..." in the way of the frisbee.





First bike ride!





We had our kids back-to-back...





Camera shy?

The Will of the People

We are pleased to inform you that the results of our weekend festival survey have been tallied. A resounding cheer went up from the crowd at the suggestion of Bedford...well, maybe not resounding, but 40% of you did favor Bedford, and we're not about to do a runoff survey. So we will be making our way down there this morning, and hopefully returning with ample photos scavenged.

Boalsburg BBQ

Faithful readers, we happened to stumble upon a small and satisfying eatery this afternoon, the Boalsburg Griddle, which serves breakfast and lunch, but also whips up some mean barbeque on Friday and Saturday nights. We got a chance to interview Dustin Brown, the Griddle's co-owner about the barbeque business and Boalsburg (see above).

Most importantly, we got to eat there, and we recommend you do the same. Here's what we thought:

1. Location: The Boalsburg Griddle is located on South Atherton Street near PA-45 and US-322. We took US-322 to North Atherton Street through State College, for reasons that will be divulged in due course.
2. Décor: Before you walk into the Griddle, you are greeted by an impressive-looking barbeque smoker, reassuring to any barbeque fan. The interior is tastefully decorated and there are several tables and chairs. A long counter separates the seating area from the prep area. They also had highchairs, a definite perk. Mostly nothing fancy, but nice.
3. Service: Lightning-speed, very friendly, courteous and helpful. Obviously the employees are busy, but are also willing to take time with each customer (even the ones that pull out a video camera). Also, I almost forgot, our toddlers left a mess at the table, at which they never blinked an eye. Sorry, guys!
4. Menu: We only saw the barbeque menu, but that was more than adequate for our purposes. Pulled pork sandwiches by themselves, with coleslaw or pickles, ribs, chicken, and the usual sides. In the adjoining room, there seemed to be a good selection of beer and other hard drinks, which we did not sample (although the Aquafina bottled water was top-notch).
5. Price: Our sandwiches were $5.00 (pulled pork sandwich) and $6.50 (pulled pork with pickles), and the sides were $2.00 apiece. Drinks were $1.00 apiece. We've eaten for less, but then again, this food is a far cry from Long John Silver's. The portions were sufficient.
6. The Food: The Griddle obviously knows where to concentrate their energies. We had pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw and baked beans, and all were excellent. The rolls were delicious, the pork was real pulled pork, shredded so that it made a perfect sandwich, and both the baked beans and the coleslaw were great (mind you, Grandma Henry’s baked beans are still the best, but these were also delicious). But the thing that needs its own category is...
7. The Barbeque Sauce: This sauce was utterly fantastic. If Dustin and the guys bottled this stuff, they could easily sell it as the cure for the common barbeque. Upon first blush, it was the perfect blend of Arby’s sauce and Sweet Baby Ray’s (neither of which are small compliments coming from us), but after some reflection, we had to admit it was better than either. In some ways, it was a perfect blending of the two, but its two distinctions were a tartness and a definite smoky flavor. We soon realized our foolishness at having even tried to compare this stuff to store-bought sauce or--horrors!--fast-food fare.
8. Cleanliness: I definitely took note of a housefly at our table, but other than that, it seems like they run a tight ship.

Overall, we give the Boalsburg Griddle 4/5 stars. Again, we were only there for the barbeque, but if you're in Boalsburg some Friday afternoon (from 3-7) we recommend you give them a try.

Voices of Bellefonte, Part II

Here's another video, from Susan Aikens, owner of Inspired Dreams.

Voices of Bellefonte

Ladies and gentlemen, the contest has concluded! Here are interviews with Chip Aikens, Director of the Bellefonte Intervalley Area Chamber of Commerce and Rhett Walsh, co-owner of Pure Imagination

A Message from the Staycationers

Staycationer Contest

We had an adventure in central Pennsylvania today, the question is: where were we? Do you know? If you think you do, leave us a comment for your chance to win a gift certificate for a local business.

All correct answers received by 5pm Friday will be entered in the drawing.

No purchase necessary. See store for details. No substitutions, extensions or refunds. Not valid in Ohio. Do not wash in cold water. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. This product has been known to burst into flames in the State of California.

A Sneak Peek

So we have some really exciting stuff we're cooking up for a couple days from now, but until we let you sink your teeth into it, chew on this one for awhile.

Chug-of-War

Jason: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, put your hands together as we begin ILoveAltoona's Chug-of-War, a competitive extravaganza pitting soda against soda, giving one a chance to defend his title and the other a once-in-a-shelf-lifetime opportunity to bottle up all his nay-sayers. Will the challenger pop his opponent in the eye? Will the champ bust a cap on his competition? Will the new kid on the block come away as the King of Carbonation…or just full of fizzle?

In this corner, weighing in at 12 fluid ounces, the Sultan of Smooth, Meanderin' Mandarin Soda! With a mellow orangey tang and a vivid, colorful complexion, you'd think the champ was all sizzle and no steak, but you'd be wrong. Having won his title from Bad Bitin' Barq's, this champ knows a thing or two about flattening the competition. He's in unbeatable mode when teamed up with his long-time trainer, nicknamed "The Canopener."

And in this corner, tipping the scales at an impressive 355 milliliters, please welcome Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Handsome, Sanguine Sangria. I tell you, just taking one look at this kid convinces you that he knows the champ, and doesn't think much of him! From his striking green bottle to his dusky, opaque appearance, you know this kid means business. Rising a full cap-and-rim above the champ, he's looking down on Mandarin in more ways than one. Sangria has a taste that, to the uninitiated, could be mistaken for a sweeter cola, except for two important distinctions:

1. The kid's definitely got a sour streak in him, and
2. Part of his complex bouquet tastes like an ingredient in Oriental food.

One other thing we ought to mention: unlike many of his more aggressive cousins, Sangria is a non-alcoholic soda, in a show of bravado meant to send a not-so-subtle message to his competition: at least in Sangria's mind, he's the better soda, hands down, on anyone's terms in any circumstance. If anyone doubts his abilities, just check out his six-pack!

Yes sir, this is a grudge match the likes of which the beverage world hasn't seen since Bud Bowl VI. For the rest of the story, we go to our special correspondent Elizabeth, who's got all the juicy details on tap:

Elizabeth: That's right Jason, this match is anything but cordial. If you want to call it the fight of the decade, I'll drink to that. As the two touch gloves, the cork has popped on this fight, and the pressure that is released is spilling over into the crowd, which has been dripping with expectation for the last hour now. And the champ is hitting with all he's got, seemingly draining the kid of all he's got. Yes, I think we can just about say this one's in the can, and in PA there's no 5-cent refund. So...

Wait, what's this? In a flurry of clinking glass, we have a new competitor in the ring, Blood Orange Soda, the Awesome Aussie, with his trademark Kangaroo Kick.

Jason: What's that you say? I thought this was a boxing match.

Elizabeth: Well, call it kickboxing then, because this Sydney Soda is dispensing his vibrant, extra-sweet citrus flavor in spades, giving the champ and the kid more than their daily allotment of punishment.

Jason: Isn't there a referee? What's he doing?

Elizabeth: If you ask me, he's mostly trying to stir things up.

Jason: And there you have it folks, drink it all in; this is a refreshing turn of events. Tomorrow morning, when the news has bubbled up to the rest of the world, just remember, you heard it here first.

Photo Scavenger Hunt

As we travel around central Pennsylvania, armed only with a digital camera, a stroller and a diaper bag, we thought it would be fun to set the bar pretty high and challenge ourselves to a photo scavenger hunt, the results of which, of course, would be made available to our ever-faithful readers.

Just so you know, for the purposes of the scavenger hunt, our vacation will run from today until the 19^th (our vacation otherwise ends on the morning of the 16^th, but we'll be attending our alma mater's homecoming next weekend, which will also provide ample photo-scavenging material). Also, all the photos collected will be from this time period, no pictures collected, say, a year ago...what's the fun in that? Also, all pictures will be of things we've actually seen in person...no Googling "rhinoceros" and then telling you that a picture of our monitor qualifies. Now if we're at an antique shop that has a framed picture of a rhino...that's a different story.

Anyway, enough with the disclaimers, onto the hunt!

1. Mascot
2. Dog wearing doggie clothing
3. "Fried things" sign (i.e. fried Twinkies, fried Snickers, fried Crisco, you get the idea...)
4. Someone eating a giant turkey leg
5. Rainbow
6. Something that puts us in mind of James Herriot
7. Hostess truck
8. Castle
9. Tuba
10. Hobo clown
11. Minor celebrity (i.e. local politician, TV personality, etc.)
12. Shot glass from NYC
13. Street banner (i.e. like this and not like this)
14. One of those plywood signs with the face cut out, for taking funny pictures (pie throwing need not be involved, although it's a plus)
15. Billy the Big Mouth Bass
16. Tree house
17. City plaque
18. Brick oven
19. Silk top hat and cane
20. Gooseberry wine
21. Haiku
22. Mounted wildlife in public establishment
23. Barbershop pole
24. Statue
25. Painting of dogs playing poker
26. Mail Pouch ad on the side of a barn
27. Wildlife (our resident centipedes being excluded)
28. Rusty farm equipment
29. Limousine
30. Cap gun
31. Alligator skin purse and/or shoes
32. Bugaboo stroller (like this)
33. Lucky Strike-branded item
34. Ye Olde Mispelt Shoppe Signe*
35. Caramel apple
36. Pumpkin still attached to the vine
37. Child with a painted face

* Dave Barry has a novel plan for eliminating these from society. He says, "We need to do something about this national tendency to try to make new things look like they are old."

"First off, we should enact an 'e' tax. Government agents would roam the country looking for stores whose names contained any word that ended in an unnecessary 'e,' such as 'shoppe' or 'olde,' and the owners of these stores would be taxed at a flat rate of $50,000 per year per 'e.' We should also consider an additional $50,000 'ye' tax, so that the owner of a store called 'Ye Olde Shoppe' would have to fork over $150,000 a year. In extreme cases, such as 'Ye Olde Barne Shoppe,' the owner would simply be taken outside and shot."

Survey Updates

Good morning, ILoveAltoona readers! Here's a quick update on the results of our survey, so far:

Hartslog Festival in Williamsburg: 10%
Fall Foliage Festival in Bedford: 40%
Pumpkin Festival in Hollidaysburg: 30%
Hicks UM Church Fall Festival: 0%
Other: 20%

Just to reiterate a point: we don't view the results of this survey as suggestions...we will make our Saturday festival decisions based on your responses. Our (staycationing) lives are in your hands; choose wisely.

If you haven't already filled out the survey, make sure to do so here.

--Jason and Elizabeth

Introducing the Staycationers

Hi. You might be asking yourself "who are these people and why would I want to read about their non-vacation?" If you weren't, maybe you should be. Anyway, we're the Ibrahim family, and this is a record of our upcoming trip to nowhere. Seriously, we love central PA and can't wait to explore more of our own backyard. (Not literally of course, our own backyard has been amply explored by all the neighborhood dogs already. But I digress.)

We've lived in Altoona 4 1/2 years, and during that time, we've grown from a family of two to a family of four. Our daughter, 2, is into VeggieTales, ducks, and spending time with her daddy. Our 6 1/2 month old son is into commando crawling, chewing on plastic, and highly absorbent pants. We would also tell you that he loves VeggieTales, but who let's their 6 month old watch movies, anyway? Not us.

We're into quirky old movies, political writing, ultimate frisbee, the ceremony of tea, and haggling. We would also tell you that we love VeggieTales, but what 20-somethings are able to sing all the VeggieTales songs in character voice? Not us.

So as I was saying, most everything we're into is just a little bit quirky, and you'll find us rather easily amused. If you are looking for reviews for all the 5-star resorts in central PA, this isn't the place. But if you just want to hear about fun things to do as a family that are right around the corner, stay tuned! Staycation '08 begins in approximately 48 hours.
--Elizabeth