Travel for Pennies

Steve began to notice he was getting hungry as Dale went four above par at the Marina Bay Golf course. And since he had golfed with Dale on more than one occasion he knew he needed to address the upcoming issue of getting food right away though he was also well aware that it was going to be a while before he could actually eat. So he brought up the idea of finding a nice restaurant as soon as their round was over. Dale ignored the suggested and criticized Stave for not commenting on his nice put. That was Dale. He was a great guy and a really good friend, but when he was out on the golf course, nothing else existed.

So, as they finished out their next three holes, slowly and methodically as Dale was prone to do, Steve traced back in his mind all of the places he remembered passing as they drove through Singapore earlier that day. He brought them up one by one as they came to him so that a decision could be made before they got in the car and they could go straight to the restaurant in Singapore.

At least Steve knew how to plan getting his lunch. He rattled off a list of names and the only thing Dale responded to was the unique title of the place called Original Sin. Steve agreed and that was enough for him. After they finished their golf he guided them back to where he remembered having seen it. They found out that the name was based on Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel. Dale said he hoped the food would be as good as the painting. Well, it was certainly a valiant effort. They were both impressed that the restaurant catered to vegetarians, though they were even more impressed with the food. This place obviously knew how to handle their spices. And all of the ingredients seemed to be very fresh.

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Tags: Marina Bay Golf course, Original Sin, restaurant in Singapore

Years ago I was a strict vegetarian.  This created a bit of an uncomfortable situation at family functions and barbecues.  Not only was there not much to eat for me, my family was not yet familiar with the vegetarianism, they were all brought up on meat and potatoes, especially when it came to grilling.  They acted as though there was something wrong with someone who did not eat meat.

Over the years however, as the health benefits of eating less meat are becoming more known, and more people are choosing to either cut down on their meat intake or do away with it all together, creativity and vegetarian products have made the back yard family barbecue a little less of a hassle, and a little more tasty as well.  Now, there are many pre-made vegetarian items that cook up perfectly on the cal flame grills or the backyard BBQ pits.

There are so many soy burgers and vegetables on the market that the choices can be overwhelming, as well as the ever present tofu hot-dogs.  Many families are also choosing to go meat free for the holidays, and the recipes for chicken and turkey substitutes is amazing, as well as the sausage substitutes and meatless corn-dogs, and yes they do taste delicious.  These items were at one time only available at the health food stores, but most all the commercial grocery stores have jumped on the bandwagon when it comes to making it easier for consumers to find healthy options.

Many of the meat substitutes can be treated, marinated and prepared in the same way traditional meat recipes are.  Tofu takes on the flavor of any sauce used in preparation, and the same hamburger fixings sit atop a vegi-burger just fine.  Add to that a variety of vegetable recipes and family gatherings during the holidays have become much more of an eclectic culinary experience.

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Tags: cal flame grills, chicken and turkey substitutes, meat substitutes

A trip to Baltimore will open your eyes.  Not only the city itself, that’s a given, but to the rich cultural and historical heritage and to the modern and progressive present.  One of the aspects of a culture is defined by their museums, and Baltimore has many to choose from.  Most of the major museums and attraction are located close to and surrounding the city’s Inner Harbor.  In this one area of Baltimore, restaurant variety is out of this world, as well as galleries, theatres, shopping locations and entertainment venues.  There is energy here, culture, various flavors of the city and excitement.

For those involved in the world of art, the Baltimore Museum of Art is a great place to begin.  The collection is vast as this is the largest museum in the state of Maryland.  Self taught and self inspired artists are represented by the American Visionary Art Museum.  They have the largest collection of this sort in the country.  If you are traveling with children, one of the museums that caters especially to the young ones is the Port Discovery Children’s Museum. An exhibit running from January 17 through February 5 of 2010 is titled “Joshua’s Journey”.  This outlines the historic Chisholm Trail through the eyes of an African American teenager.  The educational exhibits are made to entertain along the way.  This is a tale of a cowboy, the kind of story that is filled with adventure and history, the kind of story that kid’s will love.

The Great Blacks in Wax Museum offers insight into the history and the culture of Baltimore, for while slavery was legal in Baltimore, the city was known throughout the region as having the most free people of color.  At that time, that was progressive.  There are more than one hundred life sized wax figures in the museum, each with a story to tell.  Baltimore is rich with stories, each one resonating with members of different cultural backgrounds.  There will be a museum that either speaks directly to you, or one that introduces you to your neighbor.  So take a look around Baltimore, you will be delighted.

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Tags: Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore restaurant, Great Blacks in Wax Museum, Port Discovery Children's Museum

It is no wonder that so many people are choosing to install built in gas grills into their back yards, be it just the grill itself or an entire gourmet kitchen.  People have enjoyed sitting around a campfire for years, from the pre-historic times of the neanderthal, humans build fires, sit around and chat, and most importantly cook food that cannot be beat as far as flavor.  How else would one roast marshmallows?  A grill and a fire is necessary.

Dinner parties are fun, they bring people together to socialize, to dine and to share cocktails and conversation.  And while there is something wonderful about sitting around a table in one’s dining room, with crystal glasses and fine china, there is something a bit more casual and inviting about sharing those times out of doors with those we love surrounding us.  That said, many a fine dining experiences can happen on one’s own backyard, and with the new, gourmet quality grills and kitchens, that becomes an occasion that is not hard to create.

The dishes that are prepared over an open flame are a plenty, and there is just nothing like the caramelized onions or the braised pork roast that has been prepared in such this way.  Whether it is a simple hamburger and hot dog, or a gourmet roasted, Hawaiian luau-style, roasted, whole pig…the fire adds to the experience and to the flavor.  Some choose the gas grill, as the start up is fast and the clean up is easy.

Others choose to go the traditional way of charcoal or mesquite chips, both of which will serve to enhance the flavor much more than the gas powered grills.  Portable grills are convenient to an extent, but to have one built into the decor of one’s backyard garden removes the need to find a place to store it, it becomes part of the architecture and part of the homey environment.   There are so many options available nowadays, that it is best to do a little research and find which would be suitable for one’s needs and for their own homes.

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Tags: backyard, built in gas grills, Hawaiian luau-style