East Coast Barnstorm!!!!!!!
by Rick Brown

Cleveland

Okay…it’s not technically Cleveland but Olmsted Falls…my hometown. It’s the place I spent the first 18 years of my life. It’s the town I wanted to get the hell away from as soon as I graduated from high school. A charming little town turned suburb by development, it’s where my brother and his wife reside. Yvonne and I begin most of our travels here because our pooch Henri stays with his “cousin” Rigley. Henri always enjoys his dog vacations.

Baltimore

Having spent a week in early summer on the West Coast…and the fact that airfare was outrageous for Europe…the two of us decided to continue our celebration of our 30th anniversary by seeing some old friends. First up college buddy Burt Ray in the delightful city of Baltimore. We’ve kept in touch with Burt even though we hadn’t visited him in almost 20 years. No way in hell will he come to Columbus, Ohio and I guess I can understand why a trip to Buckeyeland might not be high on most people’s vacation destinations.

Burt picked us up at the airport and we made our way to his house to finally meet his partner of 16 years Carver T. Green. I feel a connection to Baltimore…not just because of our long friendship…but my aunt and uncle lived here when I was a boy. One of the very first vacations I remember as a child was driving to Baltimore to see curmudgeonly Uncle Wes and his eternally nagging wife…my father’s sister…Aunt Edith. We spent a delightful afternoon on the patio getting to know Carver and getting reacquainted with Burt.

If you love seafood…and both Yvonne and I do…there aren’t too many places with the caliber of such fare as Baltimore. The first night there we all enjoyed a delectable meal at the Hyatt overlooking the harbor. Looking out over Chesapeake By made me realize how void of such views there are in the center of Ohio.

Sunday we made our way to the Baltimore Museum of Art and while not a large museum the Cone Collection is heaven to anyone appreciating the impressionist…Henri Matisse in particular. After pursuing BMA’s gems we stopped at Gertrude’s … a restaurant owned by Chef John Shields, who also happens to be a good friend of Carver and Burt’s. Mr. Shields’ new cookbook Coastal Cooking with John Shields was just released so we chatted and got our own personally autographed copy. It’s fun meeting someone kind of famous…a chef…an author…and an honest to God nice man.( http://www.johnshields.com.) Coincidentally, Shields and some of the restaurant’s staff were to head out the next day for a pilgrimage to Ohio’s Cedar Point to ride some coasters.

The next day Burt took Yvonne and I to Fells Point, where the three of us spent an evening that will forever live in infamy some twenty years earlier. (Suffice if to say Burt’s father showed me the décors of several neighborhood bars all afternoon before heading to Fells Point.) After a cup of java at a charming coffee shop called Bonaparte’s and ignoring the somewhat dreary weather, we had a delightful lunch at The Black Olive complete with a bottle of Retsina, a traditional Greek country wine.

Despite the wonderful culinary meals we were experiencing in area restaurants, Burt amazed us with his personal cooking ability. Their home might be described as “Old Baltimore” in its architecture and furnishings. But it was the kitchen I was most impressed with…especially the professional stove Burt worked his magic on. Armed with his Julia Child’s French cookbook Mr. Ray dazzled our palates with an incredible fish bouillabaisse followed the next evening with a magnificent poached salmon. I realized I still needed to attend to my own cooking skills.

Washington, D.C.

As much as the two of us enjoyed Burt and Carver’s company, on Tuesday it was time to say our farewells and move on to D.C. This was, after all, a barnstorming trip. Carver graciously drove us into Washington and dropped us off at the Jurys Hotel where we were to join up with Dan…life long friend and Naked Sunfish Webmaster. The hotel was a very comfortable experience and located right on Dupont Circle. We got settled and on recommendation from Carver and Burt, made our way to The Phillips Collection. This small museum is extraordinarily cozy and has an impressive collection including “Luncheon of the Boating Party”. Unfortunately, Renoir’s masterpiece was on tour and ironically we’ll have to travel to Cleveland in February to get a look at it!

We hooked up with Dan a short time later and cruised around Georgetown for the remainder of Tuesday afternoon. We had a lackluster Italian dinner that evening. You can’t win ‘em all I guess. Maybe it was an off night for them.

Wednesday Dan had to work and we were scheduled to fly to Hartford around 6 pm. So Yvonne and I made our way via subway to Union Station to check our bags for a later train ride to the BWI airport. The two of us do what we’re so good at on vacations…see a plethora of sights in a minimum amount of time. We managed to take in three Smithsonian Museums…most notably The Freer. This museum has an interesting…albeit eclectic …collection of Asian artifacts and early 20th Century American painting with many pieces by James McNeill Whistler. I had no idea Whistler was an American expatriate for most of his adult life, educated in England and painting in France. That would explain “Whistler’s Mother” being housed in Paris’s Musee D’Orsee!!!!

After a quick lunch we hit all the memorials. From the Washington Monument America’s favorite phallus (I even got a shot of it…uh…climaxing!)…to the new WWII Memorial we must have walked continually for 3 hours. The WWII Memorial is beautiful and most certainly celebrates the heroic aspect of war. Less so is the Korean Memorial with its lifelike soldiers marching into battle. Then there’s the Vietnam Memorial. America’s wailing wall. A list of the dead. It’s impossible to visit without being moved to tears. The reality of war…its horrible suffering and death…cannot be lost in its simplicity. Being here again made me pause for reflection…and wonder what kind of memorial might be erected for the Gulf War…or Operation Iraqi Freedom. I shudder to think.

Connecticut

We met Dan at Union Station, took the train to the airport, and barnstormed our way to Hartford. We then drove down to Higganum to spend time with Dan, his new wife Sue, and her kids. Sue’s two boys had spent some time at our house this past summer and were familiar with our Bichon Henri. They, along with their younger sister, saw a stuffed Bichon in a store and bought it because they were sure we would miss the little French pooch. So when we ventured into our guest suite for the first time there was a little toy Bichon looking up at us from our bed. I can’t think of a more charming welcome.

Also residing at their large house by a lake in the country, is Dan’s Border Collie Kelly. And although Kelly is older and has slowed down considerably (and that takes a lot for this breed!) it was wonderful to see the old girl again. Dan and I made our way to the dump with her Saturday morning and went to a park along the Connecticut River. Kelly moseyed along. In the old days it would have take both of us three hours to round her up. She would have herded everyone in the park into a group before we could.

Friday the four of us adults went sailing on Long Island Sound for the afternoon while the kids were in school. Although the wind was gentle it was an enormously relaxing experience. I like sailing when there’s only a little wind. Just like I enjoy fishing as long as I don’t catch anything. That evening for supper Dan treated us to his homemade bread and a tasty pesto pasta.

For most of our time at Sue and Dan’s we chilled out at their pool and hot tub. Mutual buddy John Caranci (The Rantin’ Italian) drove down from Massachusetts to join us by the pool. And true to form, John brought a couple bottles of champagne for mimosas. We all had a wonderful time just shooting the shit…hanging out.

Yvonne and I took Dan and Sue out for a thank you dinner. They chose a place in Chester called Lupo, a California influenced environment (no drapes, hardwood floors) with an eclectic menu. The food was wonderful and it was a great ending for a charming trip.

Cleveland

All good things come to an end. And a week long vacation is no exception. Yvonne and I flew back to Cleveland where we gave ourselves an extra day to relax at my brother’s pool. It’s nice knowing people with such luxuries. The weather was great and we relaxed even more before heading back to Columbus. All in all…despite all the constant moving around…it was terrific seeing friends who still are a vibrant part of our lives…and loyal dog friends too in Rigley and Kelly. And it’s always good being reunited with Henri.

This trip was indeed a whirlwind and at times inspirational. We must have been impressed by the idea of having a hot tub. We bought one. I’m hoping that having one might pique Burt’s interest enough to finally get him to visit…or anyone we visited on this barnstorm. It’s an open invitation. Bring your swimsuit!!!