Wonderful Wonders

Archive for the ‘General’ Category

STRESS, 😬it’s there, we all have it, can’t stop it, can’t change it, but when my honey’s health is now affected because of me, well, tell me, how am I supposed to deal with that?

He loves me I know, he worries about me it’s true, he stresses over us, what can I do? Continue Reading Here

This past weekend we celebrated both my mother’s 80th birthday and St. Patrick’s Day…let me say I “celebrated” on the outside and cried on the inside. Continue Reading Here

Snow, it’s a fact of life if you live in a northern state in the USA, snow, it’s one of the four seasons, snow, it went from fun, exciting to fear and dreading another snow event. Continue Reading Here

Being unable to do things and unable to go places with the “friends” you once had makes it very difficult to be social, hence comes social #isolation. Sadly after a life altering situation many, perhaps even most, people will eventually end up isolated and alone due to no fault of their own. Continue Reading Here

All I Want For Christmas Is. . . I don’t know.  Please please please, don’t think I’m sad or angry or depressed because I’m not, it’s just really really hard to come up with something Santa can get for me because there is so very little I can do. Read More Here

“Wondering” what defines disabled? The word #disabled, in my opinion, is, in part, a mindset. According to Merriam-Webster, Definition of disabled: 1a : impaired or limited by a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition: affected by disability. Read More

If you followed me in the past than you know how much my honey and I use to ♥ our road trips and long weekends driving around the #HudsonValley, the #Catskills and sometimes even the #Adirondacks, but my medical issues the last few years have completely put the brakes on our road trips. Read More

It’s been a long time, 5 years in fact, wow,….I’ve Missed You!  Originally Wonderful Wonders was a place to highlight and feature the many wonderful people, places & things in and around the Hudson Valley, NY.

After a life altering situation a few years ago (which I’m sure I’ll get around to sharing more about in a future post), I now find myself wondering, wondering what’s it all about. Read More

We ventured out of our normal playground of the Hudson Valley and traveled into the world famous New York City to have dinner at the     Neely’s Barbecue  Parlor Manhattan’s Upper East Side on First Avenue.  Funny, I’ve grown up just about an hour outside of NYC and have never had an overwhelming desire to go into the city unless for a specific adventure/event or show and dinner and yet people travel from all over the world to visit the famous “Big Apple.” -Not that I don’t enjoy an evening in the city every now and then because I do, I just don’t know that I would make that my vacation destination of choice, perhaps that is because I have such easy access and can visit anytime….

Well, back to the Neely’s! My mother (Mama D as my honey calls her) LOVES to watch the cooking shows on the Food Network– including Down Home with the Neely’s.  So when my mother told me that the Neely’s recently opened a new restaurant in the city and suggested we go for dinner one night, we agreed. 

So we booked our table via Open Table and off we went.  Arriving a bit early, we enjoyed sitting at the bar looking around at the various dining rooms that surrounded the bar and chatting with Nicki.  Nicki and her friend “Wilbur” filled us in on the how and when Pat & Gina Neely came to be part of the Merchants and how warm and friendly they really are.  Each dining room is uniquely decorated each with its own ambiance and flare. 

As we normally do, we decided on two different dishes that we would share/sample.  First we started with the Candied Thick Cut Slab Bacon which is bacon strip coated with brown sugar & slow baked until it’s crispy and it was definitely crispy!   We then settled on the Pork Sampler Platter of Spare ribs, baby back ribs & pulled pork     and the famous “Blue Ribbon” Chicken (Aka Pat’s beer can chicken)    a free range chicken cooked with a pabst blue ribbon beer can in its belly!  The chicken came with 2 side dishes and the pork sampler came with one side so we had the delicious corn bread, the southern creamed corn and the sweet potato fries!   The chicken was great1 It was moist and juicy and I added the Neely’s Spicy sauce and all I can say is hmm hmm good!  The corn bread was delicious (which actually isn’t considered a side we just made it one of our sides) as were the sweet potato fries!  For me the southern creamed corn wasn’t all that creamy but, none-the-less it was good.

 Then of course there is desert, our favorite! Now, for those of you that follow WonderfulWonders, you know my honey and I always split a dessert, well, this time we didn’t . . .shocking right! We thought we probably wouldn’t be back to the Neely’s so we should be fair to them and experience as much as we could (LOL).  We did of course share; so together we shared the Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese icing, which honesty was a bit dry for my taste and the Blackberry Cobbler with vanilla ice cream which was my favorite of the two.

 A small selection of merchandise  is available in a small curio cabinet in the foyer and on their store page of the website.

 So, for all you southern folk livin here in the north, we would say the Neely’s Barbecue Parlor is a “must-do” the next time you visit Manhattan!

As always, I wish you days filled with wonder – take a minute to wonder what it is that made you smile today!

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Happy Memorial Day everyone!  To all our military brothers and sisters that have served, are currently serving or have lost their lives for us, I say to you THANK YOU!

Turned out to be a great weekend!  We decided to spend Saturday out ‘n about on one of our famous “day-trips” in New Jersey (my honey’s home state). 

We started off at the Bergen Amateur Radio Association’s Spring Hamfest. A Hamfest is the “lingo” for ham radio flea market. Who knew that there was a flea market for ham radio stuff – not me until I was introduced to the world of ham radio from my honey who has his Extra Class Amateur Radio License. 

Then we traveled across the state stopping along the way to browse (okay and make a few purchases LOL!) at a few garden shops!  We stopped off at the Stone Mill Garden Center located on 769 Ridgewood Road, Washington Twp, NJ only to find they had the most beautiful bluebells calling my name (hee hee) and right along side the bluebells were a few other perennials that of course I couldn’t resist.  Of course they all needed to be added to my garden so in the car they went! Along with a great new garden flag proudly featuring our great America Flag!

Next stop was the Olde Lafayette Village is located in the heart Sussex County at the intersection of State Routes 15 and 94 in Lafayette, New Jersey.  I truly love these villages – there is something to be said for enjoying a beautiful spring or summer afternoon strolling along pathways, while stopping off and visiting various shops and meeting new friends!  A few places I loved here included:

• JUDY & UNA LEE’S PRIM PANTRY etc. and just as their slogan reads, this adorable little shop has a little of this and a little of that-I loved it!  Here I found this adorable little blue bird pot sitter which I immediately put on one of my window boxes!
• CAREY LANE ACCENTS was great! Here I found the most beautiful flower lights that had my name on but, I contained myself here and didn’t actually get this, this time, now I have a reason to go back!
• VILLAGE ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES was a treasure!  Here I purchased a beautiful table runner with lace trimmed edges surrounding a pattern of pinks & mauve roses!
• NIHAO FASHION BOUTIQUE was fun! I love to find those special things that are unique and different – well here I found an adorable pink popcorn shirt and very special Victorian lady necklace holder!   
• Everything Homemade Pastry Shop & Cafe and yes, our outings wouldn’t be complete without a little dessert, even if it comes as an afternoon snack while strolling through the shops of Olde Lafayette Village. 

As you know, we most enjoy the new friends we meet as we travel in and around the Hudson Valley and Tri-State area.  We are pleased to have had the chance to meet Don Thoenig, a.k.a. Don The Kazoo Man!  Don was a delight to chat with and most entertaining! If you haven’t yet visited this quaint little shopping village we say consider visiting on June 19 when you will be able to meet and be entertained by Don! 

Then, the surprise of the day was when we decided to get a bite to eat at The Chatterbox Drive-In, a family owned fifties and sixties style “drive-in” restaurant in Augusta, NJ.  From Memorial Day through Labor Day they  provide “Car-hop” service where you simply pull in and you will be served in your car by one of our waitresses! This will bring you back to the “good ol’ days,” even if you weren’t a part of them! But, back to the surprise, we pulled in only to find the Sussex, NJ Wanders Car Club was holding their Cruise Night! WOW, there must have been 200 or more amazing cars here! Check out some of the great cars!

We had another great day out ‘n about! As always, I wish you days filled with happiness and “wonder” – take the time to “wonder” what it is that made you smile today!