We started our whirlwind trip by flying into Detroit to see a baseball game at Tiger Stadium. Loved the stadium and the fans, the game was so-so. That night we drove through some sketchy parts of town trying to find our hotel (which turned out to be nice thank goodness). Downtown Detroit is a clean and modern – albeit – small urban area. The outskirts of town are sad; it looks like a warzone. I did smile when I saw an old brick building with the following advertisement painted on the side of it: Liquor – Beer – Tobacco – Avon Products.
The next morning we went to the Detroit Temple – it was closed because a visiting General Authority was there but we took some nice pictures and strolled around the grounds for a while. Afterward we went to our first Diners, Drive-ins and Dives destination – The Fly Trap. There were only about eight tables and with real-life flies buzzing in the window it definitely qualified for a Triple D location. The food was fantastic. Probably the best thing we’ve ever eaten at a DDD place. I had a steak sandwich and Michael had a grilled salmon burger. The fish stole the show. It’s sushi-grade salmon roughly ground with scallions, red pepper paste and black sesame seeds. The patty is grilled and served on a great bun with an aioli mayonnaise sauce. Triple yum!
After lunch we hit the road for Toronto. The country was stunning and we couldn’t get over the number of golf courses… everywhere. No sign of homes or commerce of any kind; just a golf course or two every couple of miles. We finally reached our hotel and then took off for a baseball game. Downtown Toronto is a wonderful, vibrant metropolis. Traffic and parking was rough and the Mariners who played the Blue Jays that night were even rougher. Michael was embarrassed and called them a bunch of “little leaguers.”
The next morning we left Canada heading toward New York. Here’s the interesting thing about border crossings. They really drill you – Where are you going? Where do you work? How long will you stay there? What is the name of your hotel? Etc. Etc. The crazy thing is this, we went to Lackawanna, New York to eat at a DDD, The Mulberry Italian Ristorante (more about that further down) and then realized that our hotel was on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. So, after lunch we went back across the border, showed the nice man our passports, got the third degree and moved on. So, counting the crossing from Detroit to Canada; Canada to New York, New York to Canada and then back to New York… we learned the ropes. Okay, back to the Mulberry – our waitress was a little snippy because we only ordered one entrée, the lasagna, to share. She asked me about four times if I was still hungry. I wasn’t. The portion was really big and it is lasagna after all so the calorie count was probably 5000. The dish was delicious however. Light, homemade pasta with sliced meatballs and big chunks of roast beef in it and with all that cheesy-goodness, we were pretty happy foodies.
Once we crossed the border (sigh) and made it to the Embassy Suites right above Horseshoe Falls and on the 42nd floor, we relaxed in the room for a while before walking down to view The Falls. It was a little disappointing to see the erosion at the American Falls but really both Falls were beautiful and very, very wet. That night we had a romantic dinner and another amazing view of The Falls. The next morning, after breakfast, we went to the IMAX Theater to watch the documentary about the many people who went over The Falls in different contraptions. Most survived the ordeal but the ones who didn’t suffered a pretty gruesome end. The most dramatic survivor was a young boy who accidentally went over The Falls in nothing but his clothes and a life preserver. Amazing.
Next it was back to good old American soil and the Hill Cumorah Visitor’s Center near Palmyra. We walked to the top of the Hill, drove to the E. B. Grandin Press where the Book of Mormon was first printed, and then to the Sacred Grove at the Smith Family Farm. It was such an inspiring experience. I will never read the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants again without visualizing these wonderful places. We went to the Palmyra Temple and enjoyed our time there before driving to Victor where we spent the night.
The next morning we took some extra time to drive out to the Peter Whitmer Sr. Farm. I’m so glad we did because it is one more puzzle piece in understanding the restoration of the Gospel. Then we went in search of another DDD, the Irish Pub – that’s not the name but I can’t remember it – it’s that forgettable.
Now for the biggest surprise of the trip – Pittsburgh. When I think of this old, industrial steel town I think of… well, industrial steel. It didn’t hurt that we stayed in the Omni William Penn Hotel. It was luxurious, sumptuous and ridiculously lovely. That night we met up with family friend Travis Allen to go to the Pirates game – it was a blast. Travis got us dinner - a delicious sandwich that had French fries inside of it. Apparently, the Pittsburgh thing to do is to put fries on about every meal, even salads. I really love this city. Modern sits comfortably by historical buildings and three rivers converge right in the middle of the city. I took so many photos of the architecture. The fun didn’t end at the game. The next morning we walked about a mile and a half through the Strip District with an amazing Farmer’s Market to eat at the landmark Pamela’s P&G Diner. I ordered an amazing chorizo omelet. Michael had the best breakfast of all time – a croissant French toast topped with a light caramel sauce and chopped nuts. Oh my! Good thing we briskly walked 3 miles that morning.
It started getting a little cooler and overcast as we left to go to Kirtland, Ohio. I really loved Kirtland. The entire village is restored to such detail and our Sister Missionary guide was so knowledgeable and articulate. It was a joy to hear her speak about Church History and her love of the Savior. We also made a quick stop at the Kirtland Temple, which was partially covered in scaffolding.
Off to Cleveland and Stella’s Slovenia Restaurant. – so much food. We tried to bundle up for a really cold baseball game. Brrr. I think we only made it to about the 4th inning before we bailed.
The next morning was Sunday and the sun was shinning as drove toward Cincinnati to spend time with my Aunt Donna, Uncle Len and assorted cousins. I really enjoyed holding and playing with Adam and Heather’s baby, Ryker. And after a wonderful dinner and a lot a laughs, we hit the hay looking forward to the next day. Monday was raining lightly but that didn’t stop Uncle Len and Michael from golfing. My Aunt and I prepared for my cousin Adam’s birthday dinner. We also picked Mom up from the airport. I still find it strange that the Cincinnati airport is in Covington, Kentucky.
The next day, it was still a little rainy but links-worthy, Michael and Uncle Len went golfing with my other cousin Jeff, while my aunt, mom and I went shopping. It was a really fun afternoon with just the girls. Mom bought Michael, herself and I red tops to wear to the Cincinnati Reds game later that night. So, a word about the game: It was seriously the most exciting thing I have ever witnessed. There was so much energy and electricity in the air that the Reds fans stood the last few innings. What a great game, the Red Legs clinched the division 3-2 against the Houston Astros with a walk-off homerun on the first pitch in the bottom of the 9th. Gosh, I even impress myself with my baseball jargon. We had to get up early the next morning to drive back to Detroit and our flight home.
When I think about spending all that time with my sweetheart in a car as we traveled all over the country a few words come to mind: cashews, Google Maps, border crossings, cashews, self-portraits, holding hands, comedienne Don Friessen, croissant French toast, beautiful scenery, the Reds, and did I mention… cashews? What a wonderful trip – all planned by my personal travel agent. Thank you Michael!
