#122: Charlie Trotter's (Page 625)

Nov. 25, 2011: I was in Chicago to visit my family for Thanksgiving this past week and, with three things still left to see/do in the Chicago area in my 1000 Places book, I was determined to do at least one of them! I got my wish on the day after Thanksgiving when we ventured in to Chicago to go to Charlie Trotter's. Charlie Trotter's is located in the Lincoln Park section of Chicago at 816 West Armitage and is one of the finest restaurants in the world. It has been voted as one of the "World's 50 Best Restaurants" by Restaurant Magazine continually since 2004. The restaurant is open Tues- Sat with two seatings each evening. The Tues-Thurs seatings are at 6 and 9pm and the Fri/Sat seatings are at 5:30 and 9pm. The Grand Menu is $165 per person, the Vegetable Menu is $135 per person and the coveted Kitchen Table menu is $225 per person. Reservations are required, but there are 3 dining rooms, which each seat ~32 guests, so the restaurant can accommodate ~100 guests at each seating or ~200 guests/evening. HOWEVER, if you don't have $200 burning a hole in your pocket to spend on a single meal, you can always check out "Trotters To Go", a gourmet retail shop located just a mile or so from the restaurant that is also owned and operated by the famed Chef Trotter. We checked this shop out and enjoyed a delicious butternut squash with pine nuts, scones and caramel apple butter.

Verdict: As I've said before, I do not consider myself a "foodie." And, therefore, this is not a "must do" before you die. But, hey, if you've got cash to burn, you might as well check out one of the "World's 50 Best Restaurants" for 8 years running!

#121: Chez Panisse (Page 582)

October 29, 2011: My sister, Maret lives in Menlo Park, CA which is just an hour or so from Berkeley. So, when I flew out there a couple weeks ago to run a half-marathon with her, I made reservations at the famed Chez Panisse.

Here is a copy of the menu, which changes on a weekly basis.

Chez Panisse was started by Alice Waters who is known for her simplicity in preparation using the freshest ingredients and making very flavorful food with beautiful presentation.

Verdict: Was the food delicious? Yes. Is it something you have to do before you die? No. I didn't love Berkeley and the atmosphere of the restaurant was fine, but forgettable. We were there right when the sun was setting and the sun was right in my eyes and very distracting/uncomfortable. I didn't say anything, but the waiter must have observed me trying in vain to dodge the sun because he came up and asked me if I would like him to close the blinds. "That would be fabulous," I responded. Just as I was starting to enjoy the fact that I could see, another employee came over, pulled up the blinds and said something about Alice Waters calling and wanting the blind up. What? I was so confused and slightly annoyed. I'm paying how much for this meal? And it matters more to Ms. Waters about the position of her blinds for a period of 15 minutes than her patron being able to see the menu or her food?

#120 Monterey Peninsula (Page 577)

October 27, 2011: I flew to San Francisco from Maryland - my 3rd time in three years. And yet, I had never made it to the Monterey Peninsula! So this time I made it a priority and I'm glad I did! I met my friend Mindy in San Francisco, then we rented a car and headed for the coast. Our first stop was in Carmel. After having a delicious lunch, we walked down Ocean Drive and walked right on to this gorgeous beach with Pebble Beach Golf course in the background.

Next, we paid $9.50 to do the 17-mile drive where we saw houses like this......

And Pebble Beach

From there, we drove to Monterey, which is right next to Carmel and met up with our friend, Tiffany. This is where the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium is located.

We got cookies at the Nestle Cookie shop and appetizers at the El Torito that sits on the water where you can eat and enjoy views like this.

Verdict: Yup, I think it's a must. The United States has several charming towns, scenic spots and ocean views. But the Monterey Peninsula combines it all together and it's spectacular!

#119: Cage Diving with the Great Whites

September 2011: When we started planning our itinerary for our 3 days in Cape Town, swimming with Great White Sharks was first on my list. I'd seen documentaries about it, I'd read about it, I'd heard about it..... I was determined to do it! After doing quite a bit of research, we settled on going out with Brian McFarland, who has been featured on several documentaries and has spent his entire life around Great Whites.

Verdict: It was AMAZING!!!!! Absolutely one of the most fantastic, incredible things I have ever done and I absolutely LOVED it! And as I was eye to eye with one of the most magnificent creatures in the ocean, I thought to my self, "How in the world is this not listed as one of the 1000 Places book????" Well, it absolutely should be! Yes, we had terrible choppy seas and high swells and yes, we got crazy sick, but it was so worth it. We saw 9 sharks and saw them time and again, so it seemed like we saw many more. And this is one of those things you can't just explain. You have to do it. You have to experience it. It cost ~$250 per person. And, although I don't have any personal experience with any of the other shark diving operations, I would HIGHLY recommend this one. Brian and his team were incredible. As for logistics, they take off from Gansbaii, a two-hour drive from Cape Town.

#118: Sabi Sand Game Reserve (Page 382; Listed as Greater Kruger Park Area in 2nd Ed, pg 421)

September 7 -10, 2011: We flew into Nelspruit Airport the morning of September 7th. We then drove 2 hours to our Lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and got there in time for the afternoon Game Drive!

At sunset, our driver pulled over and served us snacks and drinks while we watched the beautiful sun set over the brush.

And what does everyone hope to see on their Safari? The Big Five, of course! And we were so happy that we were able to see them all within 24 hours of being here! We went on 6 drives in total: Three morning drives and three evening drives. We saw lions....

Elephants....

Cape Buffalo....

Leopard....

And a Black Rhino, the best sighting of all! And we saw much, much more!

Verdict: Yes, Yes, Yes!!!! Of the #118 posts I have done thus far, this is #1 on the list. Of everything I have ever seen and done, this was the most amazing. We booked our tour through Lion World Tours and stayed at the Lion Sands Private Game Reserve. I was totally impressed with both and would highly recommend both.

#117: Constantia Wine Region (Page 385)

September 6, 2011: The famed Greenhouse Restaurant at Cellars-Hohenort.

The beautiful dining room with a beautiful view

The grounds....

Verdict: I was totally impressed by this place. The hotel was beautiful, the restaurant (with your choice of either a four or seven course meal prepared by an incredible chef with many ingredients grown right here on the grounds) was impressive and the staff was very friendly. But, what I really loved were the grounds. There are acres and acres of path ways, foot bridges, gardens, ponds, trees, etc, etc. What a delightful way to spend an afternoon! But is it something you have to do before you die? No. And if you only have a few days in Cape Town, I would recommend staying closer to the heart of the city.

#116: Table Mountain (Page 380; Listed as Cape Town in 2nd Ed, pg 414)

September 6, 2011: Welcome to Table Mountain! You can hike to the top of Table Mountain, if you wish, but we were trying to pack as much as we could in to the day, so we decided to take the cable car to the top. It was fabulous! We bought our tickets ahead of time on-line, so there was no wait and the tram is shaped in a circle and the floor moves so that every couple of seconds, your view changes. And, best of all, you're at the top (~3500 feet above Cape Town) in a matter of just a few minutes!

There is a restaurant at the top and we decided to have lunch while enjoying views like this...

The site of last year's World Cup

View of Robben Island (where we were earlier in the day)

Me and my hubby. We couldn't have asked for better weather or better views!

Verdict: Yup. You gotta do it!

Note: I am writing this edit on 2/10/19; the new edition simply lists "Cape Town" and includes Table Mountain as one of the things to do while in Cape Town.  I agree with this change.  Cape Town has SO much to offer!  And I was disappointed that Robben Island was left out of the first edition as well as Boulders Beach and the Cape of Good Hope, both pretty awesome experiences.  So I was glad to see them all mentioned in their own rite under the Cape Town entry.  We did all of these things while there (although only Table Mountain is pictured here since that was my original post).

#115: Ellerman House and Mount Nelson Hotel (Page 379)

September 5, 2011: The Tea....

The Spread.....

What made it on to my plate....

The View....

Cheers!

(My husband, Dave and my in-laws, Rita and Larry)

Verdict: We recently returned from a trip to Cape Town, South Africa and made it a point to have high tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel. As you can see from the pictures, the spread was delectable, the view was splendid and the experience was delightful. Am I glad we did it? Yes. Is it something you absolutely must do in your lifetime? Well, no.

#114: Hermanus (387)

Sept. 2011: We just got back from a week in South Africa. I've been on a lot of trips, but this is absolutely one of my favorite places I have every visited. I absolutely loved it.

Hermanus is a ~2 hour drive east of Cape Town. It is one of the best places for land-based whale watching. There is a 7-mile cliff walk, which is fabulous because if you see a whale, you can continue to follow that whale down the path. You can even go kayaking in the whale-filled waters.

Verdict: Absolutely, you must visit Hermanus. We only stayed there a brief time, but I absolutely loved it. There are nice places to stay, lots of places to eat and just a great little town surrounded by stunning scenery. I could have easily spent a week or more here!

Countries of the World

So, during Womancation, 2011, my friends, Mindy, Mariellen and I started discussing how many countries of the world we had been to. None of us were quite sure as we had never sat down and really counted. I decided I wanted to know, so I just sat down and counted. I went to the website www.listofcountriesoftheworld.com and wrote down the countries according to that website. For the most part, that is what is listed here, totaling  252 Countries.  However, officially, there are 196 undisputed countries. Well I guess 195 since Taiwan is disputed.  So anyway, it depends on what list you use, but here is my list in alphabetical order:

1) Afghanistan
2) Albania
3) Algeria
4) Andorra
5) Angola
6) Antarctica
7) Antigua and Barbuda
8) Argentina
9) Armenia
10) Aruba (2017 and 2021)
11) Australia
12) Austria (1999)
13) Azerbaijan
14) Bahamas (2012, 2024)
15) Bahrain
16) Bangladesh
17) Barbados (2017)
18) Belarus

19) Belgium (1999)

20) Belize (2003)
21) Benin

22) Bermuda (2007)
23) Bhutan
24) Bolivia
25) Bosnia and Herzegovina
26) Botswana
27) Brazil
28) British Virgin Islands (2018)
29) Brunei
30) Bulgaria
31) Burkina Faso
32) Burma
33) Burundi
34) Cambodia (2018 - #42)
35) Cameroon

36) Canada (2012, 2018, 2019)
37) Cape Verde

38) Cayman Islands (2003)
39) Central African Republic
40) Chad
41) Chile
42) China
43) Clipperton Island
44) Cocos (Keeling) Islands
45) Columbia
46) Comoros
47) Congo, Democratic Republic of the
48) Congo, Republic of the
49) Cook Islands
50) Coral Sea Islands

51) Costa Rica (2009)
52) Cote d'Ivoire
53) Croatia (2024)
54) Cuba
55) Cyprus
56) Czech Republic (2015)
57) Denmark (2018) #44
58) Dhekelia
59) Djibouti
60) Dominica (2017)

61) Dominican Republic (2008, 2024)

62) Ecuador (2010)

63) Egypt (1997)
64) El Salvador
65) Equatorial Guinea
66) Eritrea
67) Estonia
68) Ethiopia
69) Europa Island
70) Falkland Islands
71) Faroe Islands
72) Fiji
73) Finland

74) France (1999, 2015)
75) French Guiana
76) French Polynesia
77) French Southern and Antarctic Lands
78) Gabon
79) Gambia
80) Gaza Strip
81) Georgia

82) Germany (1999, 2022)
83) Ghana

84) Gibralter (2004)
85) Glorioso Islands
86) Greece (2019)
87) Greenland
88) Grenada (2017)
89) Guam
90) Guatemala
91) Guernsey
92) Guinea
93) Guinea-Bissau
94) Guyana
95) Haiti
96) Heard Island and McDonald Islands

97) Holy See/Vatican City (1999)

98) Honduras
99) Hong Kong
100) Hungary

101) Iceland (2005)
102) India
103) Indonesia
104) Iran
105) Iraq
106) Ireland
107) Isle of Man

108) Israel (1997)

109) Italy (1999, 2021, 2022, 2024)
110) Jamaica
111) Jan Mayen
112) Japan
113) Jersey

114) Jordan (1997)
115) Juan de Nova Island
116) Kazakhstan
117) Kenya
118) Kiribati
119) Korea, North (2014)
120) Korea, South (2014)
121) Kuwait
122) Kyrgyzstan
123) Laos
124) Latvia
125) Lebanon
126) Lesotho
127) Liberia
128) Libya
129) Liechtenstein
130) Lithuania
131) Luxembourg
132) Macau
133) Macedona
134) Madagascar
135) Malawi
136) Malaysia
137) Maldives
138) Mali
139) Malta
140) Marshall Islands
141) Martinique
142) Mauritania
143) Mauritius
144) Mayotte

145) Mexico (2012)
146) Micronesia, Federated States of
147) Moldova
148) Monaco
149) Mongolia
150) Montserrat

151) Morocco (2004)
152) Mozambique
153) Namibia
154) Nauru
155) Navassa Island
156) Nepal 

157) Netherlands (1999)
158) New Caledonia
159) New Zealand
160) Nicaragua
161) Niger
162) Nigeria
163) Niue
164) Norfolk Island
165) Northern Mariana Islands
166) Norway
167) Oman
168) Pakistan
169) Palau
170) Panama
171) Papua New Guinea
172) Paracel Islands
173) Paraguay

174) Peru (2006)
175) Philippines
176) Pitcairn Islands
177) Poland
178) Portugal (2019, #47)

179) Puerto Rico (2006, 2021, 2022) (So, I know this is a US ter. but this website listed as a country, so I'm going with it!)

180) Qatar
181) Reunion
182) Romania
183) Russia
184) Rwanda
185) Saint Helena
186) Saint Kitts and Nevis (2018)
187) St. Lucia (2005)
188) Saint Pierre and Miquelon
189) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
190) Samoa
191) San Marino
192) Sao Tome and Principe
193) Saudi Arabia
194) Scotland (2018) #43
195) Senegal
196) Serbia and Montenegro
197) Seychelles
198) Sierra Leone
199) Singapore
200) Slovakia
201) Slovenia (2024)
202) Solomon Islands
203) Somalia

204) South Africa (2011)
205) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

206) Spain (2004, 2009, 2019)
207) Spratly Islands
208) Sri Lanka
209) Sudan
210) Suriname
211) Svalbard
212) Swaziland

213) Sweden (2005)

214) Switzerland (1999)
215) Syria
216) Taiwan
217) Tajikistan
218) Tanzania

219) Thailand (2004 and 2018)
220) Timor-Leste
221) Togo
222) Tokelau
223) Tonga
224) Trinidad and Tobago
225) Tromelin Island
226) Tunisia
227) Turkey
228) Turkmenistan
229) Turks and Caicos Islands (2024)
230) Tuvalu
231) Uganda
232) Ukraine
233) United Arab Emirates

234) United Kingdom (1999, 2004, 2022)

235) United States (1976 - 2022)
236) Uruguay
237) Uzbekistan
238) Vanuatu
239) Venezuela
240) Vietnam (2014)

241) Virgin Islands
242) Wake Island
243) Wallis and Futuna
244) West Bank
245) Western Sahara
246) Yemen
247) Zambia
248) Zimbabwe

20%

51/248

Asia: 7/50

Antarctica: 0/1

Australia: 0/1

Africa: 3/54
Europe: 15/44
North America: 12 /23

South America: 2/14

#113: West Virginia's White-Water Rafting (pg 737, 2nd Ed pg 901)

August 1, 2011: It was a deal on Travelzoo I couldn't refuse. $65 per person for a White Water Rafting expedition on the Lower New River that included two nights of camping, a light breakfast both mornings and lunch along the river during the White Water Rafting adventure. I've been White Water Rafting once in Colorado during high school and once in Dec. 2009 in Costa Rica. And I had an absolute blast, so I was very excited about checking out the West Virginia rapids!

We booked our excursion through River Expeditions and our guide in our raft was named Joe. He was 43 years old and had been a guide for 12 years. He knew everything there was to know about that River!

And going through rapids like this, I'm glad he did! I'm the one in the back left with the pink helmet and sunglasses.

And can you believe, nobody fell out of our raft during this?

See? All in one piece!

Verdict: Yes. SO much fun! I would do it again in a heartbeat. Only next time, I want to do the Gauley. Joe tells us that the Lower Gauley (did he say Upper or Lower? I can't remember?) Anyway, one of the Gauleys is "a few steps up from what we did today" and the other Gauley is "a whole staircase." How fun would THAT be? BTW, if you have young children, you can book a rafting adventure on the Upper New River for some Level 1-2 rapids and maybe a couple 3's. Kids as young as six are allowed to raft that river.

#112: Killington and Woodstock (Page 727, 2nd Ed pg 885)

July 7, 2011: Woodstock "claims the title of oldest ski resort in America, and the site of the first ski tow." And, according to Ladies'Home Journal, it is the "prettiest small town in America."

And, as you can see here, is the only town in America to have 5 church bells cast by Paul Revere & Co.

What else makes it a great town? Well, it has covered bridges for one thing.... (this is the Woodstock Middle Bridge erected in 1969)

And there are picturesque scenes like this.

Verdict: No, I don't think you have to go here before you die. But, was it a delightful, clean, charming town? No doubt about it!

#111: The Lakes Region (Page 662; 2nd Ed pg 825)

July 8, 2011: Welcome to Wolfeboro!

No trip to the Lakes Region is complete without getting on the lake! We each paid $20 to take a boat ride around the lake. Sandy was the operator of "Little Millie" and Dan was our "driver." They were great and we had a FABULOUS time!

Here are just a few of the gorgeous homes you see lining the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee...

This is the home where French President Sarkozy "summered" a couple years ago.

And Mitt Romney's home....

And the Yum Yum Shop. This is a fabulous bakery where we had sandwiches on homemade bread. And, as the name says, it was Yum Yum!

Verdict: We love, love, loved the time we spent here! It is known as America's "first summer resort." Lots of shops, restaurants, beautiful water, homes, etc. You won't be disappointed!

#110: Thanksgiving at Plimoth Plantation (Page 651; 2nd Ed pg 814)

July 10, 2011: Here are the hours and the ticket prices of Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower as of July 2011. Considering I have 3 kids under the age of 6, I can appreciate the fact that they don't charge anything for kids under six.

The Mayflower II. The original Mayflower is long gone, but this is a replica of the ship that helped the British flee religious persecution in 1620. Very fun for kids to explore.

And no trip to Plymouth is complete without seeing Plymouth Rock. The rock is located in Pilgrim Park, a great park lined with benches and paths that sits right next to the water. Boat rides are also available.

Plimoth Plantation is made to resemble what life was like approximately one year after the Mayflower docked and the ship's inhabitants were greeted by the Wamponoag Indians. You can visit the Wamponoag Homesite, the English Villiage and interact with the "Indians" and "the English."

Verdict: Well, as you can see, it wasn't Thanksgiving when we were here, but it was a beautiful summer day, so I enjoyed it all the same! Do you have to necessarily pay the $25 to see Plimoth Plantation or the $10 to explore the inside of the Mayflower? Well, no. But should you see Plymouth, see the Rock, the Ship (replica from the outside), soak in the town of "where it all happened." Well, yes!