What would helen do?

July 4, 2010

July 3rd, 2010 Biking 60 miles, phew

July 3rd, 2010

Today we rode from historic Washington’s Crossing Park on PA side –

up the river (Delaware) to right above Milford, NJ & back….

It was a fun (?) ride!

FIRST – we started with a FLAT TIRE (mine).

It’s ALWAYS GOOD to travel with your own

personal mechanic.

the ride stared with 2 then 4 then 6 and now 8 people….

Greg, Joanne, Helen, Mary, Tom, Joe, Don

WHAT is wrong with this picture??

(hint: we are on a SIXTY MILE ride)

MILFORD, NJ – 1/2 way thru our ride!

Pit stop – Milford Bakery

Michael, Joanne & Greg

old river road – Michaell & Joanne

dog we saw at our last rest stop

along the canal path

gorgeous SWANS!

60 miles, 93 degrees (it was low humidity)

(that’s about 3,000 calories burned……)

i do not know WHY the restrooms are named this.

I’ll have to do homework…….

this is what you do after biking 60 miles

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Class is an aura of confidence

that is being sure without being cocky.

Class has nothing to do with money.

It is self-discipline and self-knowledge.

– Ann Landers (1918-2002)

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July 4, 2010

July 2nd 2010 Phillips Fine WInes & Via Ponte / Stockton, NJ

July 2nd 2010

I heard Phillips was having an AVERY beer tasting so we

decided to check it out then have dinner next door @ Via Ponte.

Both are in Stockton, NJ about 1/2 hour from Ivyland.

We invited our biking friends Linda & Bruce along on the adventure.

We regularly come here to buy wine & beer

(link to ALL the photos from Phillips:
http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/phillips-fine-wine-photos-avery-tasting)

AVERY tasting tonight – Why we visited tonight

Bruce & Michael checking out the Avery tasting

Five beers to taste

Linda shopping

Via Ponte – restaurant next to Phillips

(link to ALL the photos from Via Ponte

http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/via-ponte-stockton-nj-photos)

Linda!

nice night to eat outside

SHADOW – dinner companion

Calamari Fritti

~ Tender calamari lightly floured and pan-fried to a crispy golden brown,

served with marinara sauce on the side.

We thought it was “ok”. A little greasy.

Broccoli Rabe Tradizionale

~ Pasta with sauteed broccoli rabe, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes

and oil-cured black olives and sausage.

“ok, too”. Felt like it was missing something.

Lasagne alla Siciliana

~ Fresh lasagna noodles layered with seasoned ground beef, sausage,

eggplant, proscuitto ham, tomato sauce, ricotta and pecorino-romano cheeses,

topped with tomato and besciamella sauce and baked

dessert tray – we were ALL biking tomorrow so we

were “allowed” to have dessert

banana & Choclolate gelati. my favorite part of the meal.

chocolate peanut butter cake – got the thumbs up =

Maybe next time we’ll just come for dessert?

Linda & Bruce

Helen & Michael

Myuge 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wine choice for tonight.

July 3, 2010

Via Ponte, Stockton, NJ photos

July 3, 2010

Phillip’s Fine Wine Photos ~ AVERY TASTING

July 2, 2010

Thursday July 1st 2010 birds, biking, Hachi, salmon vodka,

my backyard birds -Tree Swallows -??still hanging around

they are 17 days old today. Should be fledging soon.

Thursday night club ride – not ready for picture

JOYCE – holding the bike.

This was her first ride since April 10th when she

broke her pelvis on a bike trip in CT.

The girls did their own ride – just 17 miles –

which was GREAT for Joyce’s first day back in the saddle.

The guys rode 30 miles.

favorite part of the ride –

crossing the railroad tracks

Joanne took a little spill –

i was too slow with the camera

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The next couple pictures show
things we don’t normally see ??on our bike rides:

People horseback riding

deer with no heads laying on the lawn

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HACHI – does anyone have this DVD i can borrow??

PLEASE??

My friend told me about HACHI & I think I would like it.

The??pup has a symbol on??his collar??called ‘Hachi’,

Japanese for ‘good fortune’ and the number 8.

EIGHT is my FAVORITE number & Hachi is like Helcha (my nickname!)

mmmmm??? Smoked Salmon flavored Vodka??

What do you pair this with?

Bagels & Cream Cheese???

it’s NOT a joke – read more here:

Click here: The Associated Press: Move over fruit, meat-flavored vokdas mo

ving in

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5geANbIFrpFV6jHyfelRQWtqwBOXwD9GKS2U00

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????

Be prepared and be honest.

– John Wooden??

Hi I’m…… (see my butt)

June 30, 2010

Wednesday 6/30/10 Office, FIRE, bird, UNICORN!

Wednesday 6/30/10

this is my Office Building

~ 2000 Market Street in Center City Philadelphia.

We are in the 14th floor

– the “penthouse” of our elevator bank…..

It is about an hour train ride into the city –

which you all know I LOVE 🙂

My friend & former colleague Michael.

His office is across the street from mine.

I invited him to take a coffee run with me –

but he couldn’t come so I just got a WAVE instead.

Crazy fire Danny Diehl was at

ALL DAY yesterday as an EMT not fireman –

thank GOD – he would have died in that heat —

~consequently they did have to treat some firemen for heat exhaustion.

He was there from 11 a.m. until after midnight.

WOW.

Here is the link to all the Fire photos:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/gallerysection=news/local&id=7527559&photo=1

my baby backyard tree swallows ~15 days old

Have you ever eaten this?? Unicorn Meat??

The “NEW WHITE MEAT”

~ This is a hysterical “story” – treat yourself to a LAUGH!!

http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/unicorn-meat-the-new-white-meat

How much do you LOVE the diagram –

but what is with SUPERGLUE?

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“You must constantly ask yourself these questions:

Who am I around?

What are they doing to me?

What have they got me reading?

What have they got me saying?

Where do they have me going?

What do they have me thinking?

And most important, what do they have me becoming?

Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?

Your life does not get better by chance,

it gets better by change.”

~ Jim Rohn

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If you left this life tomorrow,

how would you be remembered?

You don’t see THIS everyday 🙂

always positive,

Helcha 🙂

http://helentdiehl.posterous.com/

June 30, 2010

Tuesday 6/29/10 dinner at Pistachio Grille

Tuesday 6/29/10

Our neighbors Dan & Kim were “single” for the night so we

went out for an Adult Dinner at Pistachio Grille in Ambler (Maple Glen), PA

~it’s about 15 minutes from Ivyland ~

http://thepistachiogrille.com/

I wanted to try this Italian Tuscan –

http://www.wine.com/V6/La-Massa-Toscana-2007/wine/98519/detail.aspx

to see if I wanted to buy more for cellaring.

(I DO!)

This particular wine was a blend of

Sangiovese (the main grape in a Tuscan)

Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Wine Story:

{I bought it last time I was at the beach

(6/19/10 in Pt Pleasant, NJ)

after I played volleyball with my friend Suzy

– we came in 3rd place}

Arriving at Pistachio Grille

~Michael, Dan, Kim & ME – see my shadow?

Kim & Dan

(Michael hiding behind Dan)(no shadow this time)

The bread, butter AND roasted Peppers were ALL

really very good. I could have made a meal out of just them!

the WEIRD part was – they only gave us 3 slices of bread

and there were 4 of us. Of course they brought more

when we asked!

Mushrooms My Way
~ Portabella, oyster and shiitake
mushrooms quickly saut??ed in sherry,
sage and cream over puff pastry.

We all LOVED this app. 8 thumbs up!

Fried Calamari and Friends
Fried Calamari with shrimp, hot peppers and veggies with a
spiced tomato sauce served in a brown bag.

Interesting presentation – if you like calamari – you’ll love this!

Tortellini like dumpling with a marscapone/shrimp filling.

Oh so good. so far they were 3 for 3.

Loved all our Appetizers.

It was recommend that I get the short ribs over the risotto.

My friend was there before & gave me his recommendations.

Was NOT disappointed.

Cioppino – seafood stew – Dan said it was good –

I didn’t try it – but I’ll trust him.

It LOOKS fabulous!

Penne with Sausage

with spinach and roasted peppers, mushrooms, garlic oil and parmesan.

The dish usually comes with Chicken but Michael got it without it.

Hands down – I think this was everyone’s favorite dish.

another wine I brought and would buy again.

2006 Incognito Viognier (a tasty white wine/grape)

TIP: A lot of people have trouble pronouncing viognier,

so here’s a foolproof way of remembering how to say it:
Think of yourself as a kindly farmer who’s just caught some pesky kids

stealing apples from your orchard. You give them a gentle scolding,

then smile and say, ‘Be on your way’.

Or, in the case of viognier, vee-on-knee-ay.

The Wine Story:

Back in MAY (2010) I “made” our friend Mary do

a 33 mile bike ride over in NJ. After biking we

always stop at Phillips Fine wines 🙂

http://www.phillipsfinewines.com/

Berry Tart

instead of mints – we got PISTACHIOS, of course!

neighbors Dan & Kim

Michael & Me

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Food is our common ground, a universal experience.

James Beard

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The only man who is really free

is the one who can turn down an invitation to dinner

without giving an excuse.

Jules Renard