CONCHS KUNAS AND BSD

NEW HORIZONS

Okay, Team VFH is serious now with the traveling. Janet has retired and my work has been thankfully sporadic. Life is good, but our time in this Garden of Eden is measured, and so your humble sojourners are going full monty with the destinations. New horizons are in the works and though we will continue to seek out the jewels amid the mundane, the world is waiting and in 2019 we plan to see a fair amount of what she offers.

HOW ARE WE GONNA PAY FOR THIS?

Truthfully, I don’t know. Hopefully the ghetto stock market (lottery) will help, but if not that whole adage about spending your children’s inheritance is ringing true. (I keep dropping hints that they should call more often…). I realize this may seem to be hedging on vindictive, but truthfully the sea change attitude of enjoying my life now, because the future is unwritten, has been a healthy dose of living for me. Too long for too many years I’ve plowed through work and Saturdays and Sundays were just two more opportunities to earn. I earned and earned, afraid an indeterminate future would not take care of me and my family. 

Now, in hindsight, I realize how we all suffered from my devotion to labor, but the past is gone and I must abide by the tenet taught well by my wife Janet, that life is good, but is fleeting and the Garden of Eden awaits us.

I’LL SIT HERE IN THE DARK

There’s a joke: “How many Jewish Grandmothers does it take to change a lightbulb?” The answer: “Don’t worry, I’ll sit here in the dark.”

Okay, I don’t mean to simply wave off my family. I have struggled mightily with how to atone for my imbalance over the years. I can continue to guilt myself and beat my chest and bawl. I can attempt to guilt my children and become a nuisance and show up on their doorsteps and constantly hover. I can sit in the dark and wait, to no avail.  

Or, behind door number three, there is the road. It’s a big world out there you know, and in the words of Dedalus, a character in my second novel, “The Music Made Me Cry”, “someone’s got to see it.” As they have the right to live their life, so do I.

SPENDING THE INHERITANCE

  

“KEYS” TO SUCCESS

Team VFH has resolved to travel somewhere every couple of months and we’re not talking about trundling over to the mall. In this still young 2019 we have planned three major trips: carousing in Key West, sailing in Croatia, and lounging in the Bahamas.

1) GOD’S WAITING ROOM

In February, Team VFH will call the Florida Keys home for a few weeks. We fly to Miami, rent a car and drive to Looe Key Preservation Center to either dive or snorkel for a few days. Nearby is the incredible Bahia Honda State Park, considered one of the best beaches in the country, and on Big Pine Key, The No Name Pub.

LOOE KEY

 BAHIA HONDA STATE PARK

NO NAME PUB

After a few days we will stay in the Conch Republic, Key West and enjoy the revelry down there for a week. We've both been there before and though we're not sure what will greet us on this wacky island, I'm sure there will plenty for us to squint at.

One side trip I had always wanted to go on was to the Dry Tortugas National Park a 70 mile ferry ride out into the Gulf of Mexico, to see Fort Jefferson. DRY TORTUGAS

 

FORT JEFFERSON

We’ll be in the Key West area for about a week. On our return we will stay a few days in Marathon key.

2) BUCKET LISTS AND DEAR FRIENDS

A long time ago in a galaxy far far way I worked the Sarajevo Winter Olympics for ABC and since then I have often wished to return. I still have dear friends there and I suffered greatly when the former Yugoslavia was wracked with extreme violence when the republic broke apart after Communism fell. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was crippled by the longest siege in history. When I visited Sarajevo, I was impressed by the myriad of peoples living cohesively. Sarajevo was renown for all the Muslims, Catholics and Jews living together in peace. The war changed all that. One fellow I worked with at the IBC (International Broadcast Center) fled Bosnia before the siege and settled his family in Zagreb, Croatia. Over the years we've kept in touch through social media and last summer he invited us out to visit. We’ll be out there in July.

 GEMS OF THE ADRIATIC

DALMATION ISLANDS, CROATIA

We will fly in and out of Dubrovnik and stay with Mr. Z and his clan in his villa in Trpanj, but before that Janet and I are sailing through the Dalmation islands for 7 days. We depart from Dubrovnik and visit islands like Korcula, where it is said Marco Polo was born, and Hvar. The trip ends in Split. We explore that area for a day or two before taking a ferry back to Trpanj. We won’t be traveling in-land to see Sarajevo, but I’ll bet my bottom Kuna there’ll be a lot of hugs and much pivo swilling. I have always wanted to sail through these beautiful islands and so here we go!

CROATIAN BEER

 

CROATIAN KUNA

IT'S BETTER IN THE BAHAMAS

We enjoyed our honeymoon at the Antigua Sandals enough to give this adults-only, couples-only, all-inclusive luxury resort company another swing. This time we’re off to their Royal Bahamian resort in Nassau in late November of this year. We were able to save a couple of BSDs (Bahamian Dollars) because we booked the trip very early, almost upon our return last month. 

SANDALS ROYAL BAHAMIAN

BAHAMAS DOLLAR

                                             

It may seem a bit anti-climactic to be lounging about instead of exploring new horizons, but this particular resort boasts their own private island to go along with the pampering that Sandals offers.

Thanks for reading. Keep checking back for updates on these and other trips that crop up.

Oh I realize I've mentioned my book in a shameless plug earlier. Here's where you can buy it:  THE MUSIC MADE ME CRY by Greg Dunaj

MIDNIGHT?

DAY DRINKING

Saddled with an impending New Year’s Eve with no appreciable plans, Team VFH pondered its choices. We could stay at home with a nice meal, etc. NYE is amateur night for non-drinkers after all, and this would be a safe way to greet the new year. 

LONGWOOD GARDENS

We considered going to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. It is a beautiful place with seasonal displays of plants and prancing waters, an organ recital, roving Christmas carolers and something called Polkadelphia. Yeah, you’re thinking fair reader that we were fools to not Polka our way into the new year, but we feared the excitement would be too much for our aged selves. We had been to Longwood Gardens before and it’s a great place to visit, but not this time.

LONGWOOD GARDENS  

Well, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve passes swiftly and Team VFH had to act quickly. Can you guess what your favorite cheapskates did to save the holiday? Why, we inspired our friends in Milford, Delaware to invite us down. They were planning a quiet night, but when we invited ourselves down it spurred them into planning a pub crawl that started at 2 in the afternoon. 

DAY DRINKING + NEW YEAR’S = MIDNIGHT MISSED

Our Delaware friends are good and dear and this wasn’t the first time we traveled there to celebrate NYE and it was not the first time we went on a mid-afternoon pub crawl. In the past, they’ve ended badly. Prices are a bit cheaper in Delaware with no sales tax, and, when we go out early, we also hit happy hours. It’s hard not to order a second round of Patron Tequila shots when 6 of them costs $18 and when Victory Beer’s Golden Monkey Triple (9.5% ABV) comes in a full pint glass for $5, you don’t hit the wall… the wall hits you.

...don't be this guy....

I don’t like drinking to excess and waking to an unfortunate face tattoo, so, this year I offered my services as the designated driver. By the way, the police in Delaware are especially spirited in keeping their little world safe, so ALWAYS include a designated driver in every one of your pub crawls. Usually we just trundle a mile or so into Milford, but this day we decided to start the escapades 20 miles down the road in Lewes.

THE FIRST DRINK IN THE FIRST TOWN IN THE FIRST STATE

There was a time when you could buy a home in Lewes, the “First Town in the First State”, for next to nothing, but now those once dilapidated properties are highly sought after, and way out of our budget. It’s a great summer destination though with Cape Henlopen stretching out into the Atlantic. The Delaware River splashes into the ocean here and there’s a distinct difference between the ocean and much calmer bay beaches.

Over the years we’ve enjoyed traveling to Lewes for food and drink. Places like Striper Bites Bistro, The Wheelhouse, and Agave on picturesque Second Street are favorites. On The Rocks at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal just before Cape Henlopen State Park is a surprisingly great place for food and drink during the summer. It’s affectionately called the “Ferry” bar by our little group, and no, we don’t swing that way, but it is a great place to watch the ferries ply the waters of the Delaware Bay on their way to New Jersey.

IRISH EYES, LEWES

IRISH EYES PUB

Agave, though they make the best margaritas that have ever passed these lips, was closed. I was glad for this; I would have lost my designated driver status right there. Our only stop on this pub crawl in Lewes was at Irish Eyes, situated on the marina overlooking the Lewes and Rehobeth Canal. We drove the 20 miles down there to meet up with a number of other friends and as we drank and ate appetizers at Irish Eyes, the boats moored along the canal nodded approvingly. The place is big and airy with a wall of windows that open for the summer breezes. The staff is attentive and friendly. Irish Eyes is a good, reasonably priced gin mill. I always like going there.

IRISH EYES

SMALL TOWN WITH A CREATIVE SPIRIT 

When our friends moved to Milford, Delaware over a decade ago they were aglow about the possibilities of this quiet little town. One of Delaware's Quaint Villages, this former shipbuilding hub on the Mispillion River has witnessed many of our pub crawl escapades. Sadly, our friends are moving away from this little town to be closer to the shore. We always look forward to coming to Milford, for the company and the partying, although we've never explored further than that. On the surface an outsider may think the glitz and charm our friends sought in Milford long ago had kept driving down Route 1, but the friendliness of the citizens and the many great places to alight in town make Milford a great place to visit.
MILFORD DELAWARE 

Favored places to go in the past have been:
Mispillion RIver Brewing
Located in an industrial park across Route 113. They have a great array beers served in neat airy pub with the brewing kettles behind a glass wall behind the taps. They fill growlers and sell cans as well. No food, but sometimes there’s a food truck outside. Their beers are great, but in 2014 their bathrooms were awarded a gold medal for the best commodes on the Delmarva peninsula. 
They call it Slower Lower Delaware with good reason.

MISPILLION RIVER BREWING

Abbott's Grill
Nice selection of beers great food prices and happy hour specials that are worth the trip to the shopping mall.

ABBOTT'S GRILL, MILFORD, DE

Longshots Sports Bar & Billiards 
Big sports bar…. Almost too big. Golden Monkey, my friend and my enemy, is served here in full pints for a great price. They have indoor cornhole situated dangerously close to the front windows!

Arenas 

A fancy sports bar with memorabilia decorating the walls. They have a fantastic array of beers as well. Great food, and there’s an outdoor deck on the Mispillion with a fire pit.

ARENAS MILFORD

LA HACIENDA

Didn't get to these places this time, but on this pub crawl though we went to someplace new.
La Hacienda 
This small Mexican restaurant chain is fairly new to Milford, but has been popular with our friends since it opened. Located in a dreary strip mall next to a Tractor Supply Company store it didn't look promising, but inside it was warm and inviting and cheap. We each got Margaritas and the bill came to $15. Happy Hour prices, yes, but still very cheap. (I had one.) We weren't eating but their menu looked fantastic. They make their own mole sauce and proudly offered us a taste. The recipe is a closely guarded secret. The proprietor's mother makes it and she will not share all the ingredients with him. They have a fantastic array of tequilas and mezcals. This was a true gem and we will be back to eat at La Hacienda someday.   
LA HACIENDA MILFORD

MILFORD TAVERN

The Milford Tavern                  

Our next stop was an unassuming neighborhood bar on Walnut Street. We always try to make it here on one of these pub crawls. The long-time owners recently sold the place after 35 years and moved to Florida, but the new owners were just as friendly and happy to see us pile in. They serve drinks in mason jars, but their beer list is pedestrian. Still on designated driver duty, I nursed a PBR for the entire time there.

Our last stop:

PARK PLACE RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE

Everything in Milford hedges on derelict and the Park Place Restaurant and Lounge on the Mispillion River looks like an uninviting dive bar at first, but we’ve been here several times and really enjoy it. The big red square building right on the Mispillion River was built in the late 1800’s and was first a cannery then a warehouse for a grain and supply company until that establishment moved in the 1960’s. The floors are rough hewn wood and a back door opens onto the Mispillion River. The building sat vacant and in disrepair until it was renovated in the early 1980’s, but you don’t need all this information to enjoy yourself. A convivial group is always there. They have pool tables, a dart board and shuffleboard, and a stage and dance floor. The beer list could use a little work, but they had Patron tequila! We’ve never had food there, but typical bar food is on the menu.

PARK PLACE MILFORD, DE

PARK PLACE ON THE MISPILLION

ONE LITTLE INDIAN....

The good part about day drinking is that you can get home before all the “amateurs” come out. Our intent was to get back to the house for some food and more drinking and avoid all the mess that comes with venturing out on NYE. The sad part about day drinking is that some “seasoned” veterans (you know who you are Jill) pass out long before the stroke of midnight leaving this humble scribe, this noble designated driver, this all around good guy, being the last man standing.

Happy New Year everyone. I know this is a bit late…oops

“F” BOMB / SHELF LIFE

HAPPY NEW YEAR

As your stingy sojourners enter this new year with a steady resolve to save money and still travel well, we also are taking the time to consider self-improvement. Resolutions made today usually falter somewhere between now and tomorrow, but to consider self-improvement is always a noble endeavor no matter how fleeting.

Goals have been set and we’ll see how long we’ll endure. I have to admit they are weighty.

Janet’s goal is to be less dependent on the “F” bomb. This is no small quest as she began our relationship so very long ago with a drop of the “F” Bomb that questioned the use of Christmas-like wreaths in a restaurant.

We met in late March.

 

Yeah...a wreath like that one

Those with an intimate knowledge of the whys and wherefores of my lovely bride know this was to weed out those unsavory types that may be too prim and proper for her tastes. Janet can cuss like a drunken sailor so we’ll see… or hear.

My personal endeavor is to forget. What matters of the muck and mire of perceived trespasses? What seemed so important today really isn’t and given that we all have a shelf life, an expiration date, why beat our chests over something that won’t matter in the long run; God willing? Life is good, life is short. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, but today is important. Use your time wisely.

Remember whether you travel near or far, travel well.

Love,

Greg, and that “f”ing wife of mine, Janet