Like a Fine Brandywine....

Seventy years old is an age noted by two rather noteworthy writers -- Moses and Shakespeare.

In Psalm 90 Moses wrote (attributed) most famously:

“The days of our lives are threescore and ten....”

In Macbeth (Act II, Scene 4) a character called simply “Old Man”(!) says:

“Threescore and ten I can remember well....”

Having reached this literary milestone – and refusing to view this milestone as any sort of “a milestone around his neck” -- Jake and his Number 1 headed out for a three-night celebration in the historic and picturesque Brandywine Valley of Pennsylvania, just southwest of Philadelphia.

Monday, April 24, 2017 -- The predicted rain stayed away from our couple long enough to allow them a wonderful day of outside pleasures. First on the list was nine holes of golf (Stone walking in caddy-for-a-day duty) at the Ed Oliver Golf Course in Wilmington, DE. This 18-holer recommended itself mostly by being on the way via the trusty NJ Turnpike, and being one of the few courses in the area to have a reasonable price. Still, $20 for nine holes seemed excessive to Jake, who is use to his cheap-o, senior rate at his home course, Tamarack in East Brunswick.

The course, which honestly is not worth going out of one's way to play, proved to be an interesting golf history lesson. Ed “Porky” Oliver was a popular and successful PGA pro in the 1940s and 50s. Oliver was certainly a Delaware guy. Born in Wilmington, Oliver got married to an Army nurse while on duty at Fort Dix in 1942. The course that now bears his name was the original site of the Wilmington Country Club (now a tony golf club some three miles north; Joe Biden became a member there in 2014) where Oliver was a caddy before turning pro at age 18. The course had quick greens and some strong holes, but it was pretty beat up in general. However, it seemed to be getting some much needed major maintenance.

Jake by Brandywine Creek

Stone at Ridley Creek

The rain clouds threatened, but the rain stayed away as Jake and Stone had nice little bike ride up and down a bit of the Brandywine Creek, but a ten minute drive from Ed's golf place. Then it was on to a longer, vigorous ride at Ridley StatePark, which provided various terrain, creek views, and a wide, paved trail.

At the edge of the the state park is La Porta, a ristorante that provided a nice late lunch. La Porta had a good wine list, and featured a welcoming, cozy, somewhat rural ambiance. The mushroom soup was especially tasty.

Our couple's hostelry for their three nights away was The Inn at Grace Winery in Glen Mills, PA. Here the main draw proved to be the expansive grounds and buildings, which included the main inn (which is historic and elegant) and several “cottages,” of which the Brandywine Cottage featured a jetted tub, so Jake needed little more incentive to choose it. 

The inn does all the big things quite well – the staff is wonderful and the atmosphere is a sort of restful, understated country chic, but the inn was not without its small irritants. The wi-fi was inconsistent, a dog roamed the breakfast room, and though they state “free breakfast,” to get more than yogurt or oatmeal it will cost you extra. Such a fine establishment is demeaned by such nickle-and-diming.

Speaking well of the inn's staff, the welcoming desk did well indeed to direct Jake and Stone to the Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar for dinner. Both Jake and Stone were immediately struck by mimicking of the much larger chain, Seasons 52. If you have been to a Seasons 52 then you will find little different at Harvest Seasonal Grill. Luckily, both chains are real good at what they do – attractive atmosphere, attentive service, good menu, lots to drink – and Jake and Stone enjoyed their drinks and food.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017 – The rains were in full force on this day. So it was into Philly for a look at the American Watercolor exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Both Jake and Stone thought the exhibit one of the best they had seen in quite some time – interesting, just the right size, educational, and downright amazing to look at. Neither had realized the versatility of the watercolor medium, nor how Americans came to dominate this artistic scene in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Best of all, there were some classic Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent works to look at – the juxtaposing of which was fun to see. Both Stone and Jake have realized over the years that they like their art to be representational, and one can hardly do better in this category – at least by Americans – than Homer and Singer.

But even better than the planned art was the serendipity of the past recovered. Stone's father grew up in Narbeth, PA, outside Philly. When Stone was a child, her family spent many a holiday at her dad's home. On the way to Philly, Stone soon recognized the Narbeth area, and with a little good luck our couple found the actual house! While Stone was taking pictures of the house to show her brother back in Jersey, the owner pulled into the driveway. Soon Jake and Stone were invited into the old house. Amazingly, except for a new kitchen and an added ½ bath, it had not been renovated. Stone toured the house, with the gracious owner at her side, for more than 20 minutes; Stone on the edge of tears more than once. Wondrous indeed.

After the art and an arduous drive from Philly back to Brandywine country, it was still raining like hell, so Stone and Jake made the quick trip to La Porta again for dinner. This time the food was less wonderful, but the wine was still delicious and the vibe most sheltered and homey.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017 – A major draw of the Brandywine area for Jake was the chance to play a golf course he had longed to patronize since he was the webmaster of the now forgotten, but still legendary, in Jake's mind, Internet site, Jerseygolf.com. Back in the heyday of Jerseygolf.com, Jake featured a story about the Golf Course at Glen Mills in Glen Mills, PA. In 2000 the Glen Mills Schools, a school for troubled youth that dates to 1826, had golf architect Bobby Weed design a golf course on the school's grounds. Since then, the schools' course has given students the chance to develop hands-on training for careers in the golf industry.

The Golf Course at Glen Mills

Yikes!

Little more needs to be said about the Golf Course at Glen Mills, except to note that it is ranked by Golfweek magazine as the fourth best public course in all of Pennsylvania.

The starter warned Jake (and his golf cart co-pilot Stone) that the course was pretty difficult. Understatement! Even sometimes using what Jake came to call the “grandfather tees,” the blind and pur-blind shots, the roller-coaster terrain, the humpy-lumpy greens, the thousands (so it seemed) of bunkers, all provided a fun day of golf -- if, like Jake, one doesn't lower the tone of the day by keeping score. With the right attitude, or really good golf skills, Glen Mills is a terrific place to play.

Did someone say “terrain”? Perhaps our couples' most enjoyable meal was at Terrain Garden Cafe Restaurant, about eight miles from the Glen Mills course, on US Route 1 – often referred to in theses parts at the Baltimore Pike. Their apres-golf, late lunch, which was served in an old greenhouse, was simply delightful: they shared a creamy yogurt/granola/fruit plate, and each had a bowl of Kennett Square mushroom soup. Little wonder reviewers from Open Table to Tripadvisor give this unique eatery such high marks.

(Why Kennett Square mushrooms? Kennett Square, PA, about 20 miles away on the "Baltimore Pike," is the self-proclaimed Mushroom Capital of the World, and it most likely is just that. The surrounding area not only produces over 50,000,000 pounds of mushrooms a year (half of the total in the USA), the town also has it own two-day mushroom festival every year, and on New Years Eve they often drop a rather large mushroom (say, about 800 pounds) in lieu of a Times Square ball at midnight.

That night's dinner was the Gables atChadds Ford, about a 30 minute attention-necessary drive from the inn. (The up-and-down, winding nature of the skinny roads – typical of much of the Brandywine Valley -- reminded both Jake and Stone of the golf course.) The Gables promotes itself as an up-scale food place, but on entering the large eatery (housed in an old barn) Jake and Stone had their doubts. However, they both found their Gables Farmhouse Salads (one with chicken, one with salmon) to be first rate. The martinis were perhaps the coldest and best of the trip.

The Brandywine Cottage features, besides the mentioned jetted tub, a nice little porch. It was here, after dinner and the drive back to the inn (Stone at the wheel, thank you very much), and after a final rub-a-dub-dub in the jetted tub, that Jake enjoyed a Romeo Y Julieta cigar. Like Macbeth's “old man,” Jake could, thankfully, remember well his three-score-and-ten.

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Other Places

Stay, Just a Little Bit Longer 

On their first trip to Jekyll Island, Georgia in 2010, our couple stayed for a week. Over the subsequent years, one week's stay soon went to two weeks, then this year they stayed for three. They left Jekyll this year thinking it likely that soon three weeks might evolve into four. Jekyll is not for everyone, but for Jake and Stone it has proven to be a sort of paradise gained, and regained.

(As usual, links provide more information about places, restaurants, bars, etc that Jake and Stone found to be positive experiences.)

(Also -- this little map below gives an idea of the island, including its basic bike paths. HOWEVER, though it takes a little while to download, there is a much better, more detailed and very useful map of Jekyll, including its bike trails, available here. Do have a look.)

Along the New River Trail
near Galax, Virginia

Friday, January 13, 2017 – It's all about relaxation, so I-95 was eschewed in favor of their favorite route south: I-78 west out of Jersey, then I-81 south. At Strasburg, Virginia they stopped for a nice lunch (half sandwiches and soup) at the homey, yet apparently community-oriented (open-mike sort of place) Cristina's Cafe. Local charm, as they say, and good food, with relaxed, friendly service. Before spending the night at the truly wonderful Hampton Inn in Galax (VA), Jake and Stone took a late-afternoon bike ride (four miles, R/T) on the New River Trail. This is one of America's premiere bike trails, and happens to have a southern terminus in Galax. Lovely way to unwind from the hours of driving.

Dinner this night at a nice local place, Creek Bottom Brews for beer(!), burger and Asian salad. They also sells a lot of craft beers, and our couple couldn't resist buying a bottle of Sweet Baby Jesus beer, which waits in the fridge for either Christmas or the Apocalypse, whichever comes first.

Saturday, January 14, 2017 – Leaving before sunrise is normal when Jake and Stone have places to go, but on this morning their early rising put them in the middle of a fog event the likes of which they had never experienced. The fog on Fancy Gap Mountain (I-77) is historically so bad that the Virginia DOT added over a dozen cameras last year to keep on top of the many dangerous situations. There are also lighted speed limit signs that decrease the speed limit when necessary, which at one point listed 30 MPH as the safe speed. Before daylight, with only ghostly trucks and pea soup for company, Stone somehow made it down the mountain and into eventual daylight and normal conditions. Atta grrrl!

Part of Jekyll's allure is its proximity, about 90 minutes south, to one of our couple's favorite cities, Savannah, Georgia. Having left Galax early and made good time driving (after the foggy start), Jake and Stone delayed lunch until they could reach Savannah. They wondered why the city was so crowded, then realized it was MLK weekend. (Vacations are deemed a success when the travelers don't know what day it is.) After being told at several lunch spots that they would have to wait for seating, they spied a couple of open bar seats at a favorite place – The Public Kitchen and Bar on the corner of Liberty and Bull Streets.

Sitting at the bar has become their often preferred way to eat. The “waiter” is always available, and it is easy to fall into conversation with bar mates. Things worked wonderfully on this day, as a lively conversation ensued with a Savannah local woman and another couple headed to Florida. The ham & brie melt, shrimp & grits, two Stella brews (Jake), and a glass of the nicely named Whispering Angel Rose (Stone), completed a terrific lunch scene on a warm, sunny day in this lovely southern city.

3 BR, 3 bth, 2 balc rental
at Villas by The Sea

Early morning sun
tops the condo's treed setting

The only glitch on the trip happened when they arrived in Jekyll and walked into their three-week rental – a large house on Beachview Drive North. In short, the house (which had a for sale sign in the yard) would not do for more than a couple of reasons. Stone called the realty office to strongly complain, and 30 minutes later both she and Jake were walking into a lovely 3 BR, 2 bth condo at the Villas by the Sea condo complex near the northern top of the island, at an even cheaper price. Atta grrrl!

This two-story, 2-balcony place proved to be an ideal home for three weeks. Too worn out from the moving-in struggles to cook, they repaired to the Westin Hotel for snacks (sweet potato soup, crab cake, shrimp cocktail) and martinis, before falling asleep to the sounds of Jekyll's quiet back at their 3 BR home for the next three weeks.

We interrupt this blog to bring you a A Must (or maybe, A Suggested) See:

The Federal Reserve Room at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel

Jekyll Island is most famous for being founded at the end of the 19th century by a group of millionaires (the Astors, Rockefellers, Goulds, Morgans, etc) who needed a private winter hunting ground that might also serve as a getaway from the trials and tribulations of making way too much money. The Jekyll Island Club Hotel started in 1896 as America's first condo development, albeit only for millionaires. (Sounds a lot like today's Manhattan.)

The Hotel Today:
front veranda on left, entrance on right,
iconic turret above the giant live oak

Such was the atmosphere of the subsequent hotel expansion, that in 1910 six high-powered men met in secret at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel intent on reforming America's banking system. They hoped to come up with something that would mitigate the numerous financial panics of the 19^th century – the most recent one in 1907 being, apparently, the last straw.

Long story short, what emerged would form the basis in 1913 for America's Federal Reserve System. The hotel's Federal Reserve Room has some history and pictures about the talks. The most interesting picture, however, is a fairly new one. It is of former Chairs Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke standing in the room where the Fed began, and where you are standing as you look at the picture of them. As they say at the Fed: way cool.

Sunday, January 15, 2017 – The first Sunday on Jekyll is a holy day of obligation for Jake and Stone. As required, they made the pilgrimage across the causeway bridge and into Brunswick, Georgia to the Waffle House. Best pecan waffles, and unbeatable southern, blue-collar, family, hello-to-everyone vibe. Groceries were gathered at the nearby Winn-Dixie where it is worthwhile to get the members savings card. It's NFL football in the afternoon and into the evening, accompanied by the requisite hot dogs and burgers.

Cart bridge to the "marsh holes"
on King & Prince GC, St. Simons

Monday, January 16, 2017 – Thanks to a “hot deal” early-morning tee time on Golfnow.com Jake played at the normally off-the-chart expensive King and Prince Course on St. Simons Island. This cart-only, residential type course is not Jake's normal bailiwick, but it proved to be worth the $50 bucks or so just to see how the other half plays golf. And the back nine's “marsh holes,” and their attendant cart bridges, give one an away-from-it-all feeling.

"Away from it all" in the marshlands
at King & Prince CG, St. Simons

Stone's inaugural bike ride down to the Jekyll Island Club Hotel was highlighted by marsh views, a distant sighting of a heron or two, the atmospheric Spanish moss dripping from the live oak trees, and a winding bike trail that is the favorite of both her and Jake. They meet at the new Beach House, which basically has a seafood menu, for corn chowder bisque, and salads with shrimp and salmon. This new addition to Jekyll dining scene has a summer/beach vibe, with ample outside seating ready for the summer crowds. Our couple promised themselves to try the bar at some future date.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017 – A typical Jekyll day. Bike ride for them both to the hotel, talk for quite a while to a visiting family of four on the hotel's back veranda, back to the condo for some reading and nap. Pre-dinner martinis at the hotel's bar, where they spot the legendary Harry (famous yachtsman and longtime Jekyll resident), and meet a woman who shows them pictures of her dog and her Alabama beach-side condo. Tuna pasta for dinner and then “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” on the TV, which they felt silly enough to enjoy.

Stone's favorite
beach-view reading bench

Wednesday, January 18, 2017 – Jake plays Pine Lakes golf course, finding that he can play alone if he gets to the course early, Jekyll time – which means 8:20 or so. Alone and early on the course? Did someone say Elysium? Stone bikes around and reads her book at a favorite bench, then they meet at the hotel for coffee and pastry, back to the condo for lunch and a snooze. Jake has a cigar on the lower balcony as Stone relaxes on the balcony above, then they watched “It's Always Fair Weather,” an unusually bleak Hollywood 1950s musical that does have Gene Kelly tap-dancing on roller skates, which makes it all worthwhile. (See the video here -- which might be the best 4 minutes of your day.)

Stone Chips at Great Dunes #3

Thursday, January 19, 2017 -- 7am coffee, 9am at GreatDunes 9-hole course. Nature sightings at the course included two red tail hawks and two baby gators. Both Jake and Stone finished their round with good last few holes. Lunch back at the condo. Walk to dinner at the always good and inexpensive Driftwood Bistro. “The Martian” movie on HBO. The night seemed so warm they put on the A/C.

Stone selfie at the
Beach House restaurant & bar

Friday, January 20, 2017 – Jake plays Indian Mound on this warm (70s) and windy morning. Stone does a bike ride and has late breakfast at the Beach House. Trying to ignore the TV news of the day, our couple have lunch, snooze, do some reading, drink some gin and tonic, Jake has a cigar on the balcony, and they watch another movie, this time on TCM.

Saturday, January 21, 2017 – Once again to the Waffle House and Winn Dixie, then an exploratory bike ride to the 200-site RV campground and Maurice Road, which they had often ridden past but never gone down. Thinking they would go to a movie, they changed their minds and spent a good part of the afternoon napping. Jake biked the five miles down to the Beach Village on a mission to replenish the gin supply. Rain at night and yet another movie, “Boomerang.” Not the Eddie Murphy one, but the one in 1947 directed by a Elia Kazan; different and better.

Sunday, January 22, 2017 – The weather is threatening so it's stay inside and relax. Then they decide to do laundry, which proves to be an adventure. The laundry facility is but a five minute walk, but it is long enough for a sudden rain squall to erupt, followed by a downpour, followed by another downpour. Damn tropical weather! The clothes get washed, and so do Jake and Stone. In the afternoon it's NFL football. Then Jake and Stone watch their first-ever tornado warnings on the local TV channel. They decided that the downstairs bathroom would be the best place to “shelter in place,” as they say on TV. Luckily, things pass without serious incident.

Monday, January 23, 2017 – Jake and Stone are up early on a day of a cloudless sunrise, 55 degrees

Part of the new Beach Village
at Jekyll's equally new "Main Street"

temp and plenty of post-storm wind. They bike into the wind (so as to have the wind at their back coming home) down to Beach Village for java and a pastry at the Club Cafe. Back home they drive way down island to St Andrews Beach for a very windy walk and take quick look at Glory Beach, which looks fabulously and deserted.

In search of a book Jake wants, they drive over to St. Simons Island. But despite being the largest bookstore in the Golden Isles, Jake's desired book is not in its stock. However, our couple find HarrisTeeter, a grocery store to rival Wegman's back home. Good-bye Winn-Dixie, hello wonderful grocery shopping.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017-- Jake golfs at an increasingly warm and windy Indian Mound while Stone walks on the famous Driftwood Beach, which is a short walk from the condo. Later in the day our couples' very good friends, The Labetts, arrive from Virginia. Wonderful to see them again, and the recently purchased gin is put to good use. Dinner is Stone's signature tuna-and-nicoise salad, followed by drinks at the Jekyll Hotel bar where two other couples are apparently ending some black-tie event at the hotel. Back at the condo the foursome talk till after midnight, then put the bedrooms to a sleep test which they pass with honors.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 – The two women bike and walk while the two guys enjoy a round at Great Dunes. After golf the guys have lunch, then bike down to meet the ladies at the hotel. It's a foursome dinner at the Driftwood Bistro, highlighted by a killer she-crab soup and two $12 bottles of Clos du Bois white wine.

Thursday, January 26, 2017 – It's off to St. Simons Island for a quick meet with a retired couple The Labetts' worked with in Virginia. Their retirement home is a showcase (complete with a one-flight elevator) that might well appear in "Southern Living" magazine. There is much good talk, including of how easily the several PGA golfers who live on St. Simons move about unbothered among the locals. Its is not unusual, say these retired St. Simons locals, to see Davis Love, or Zack Johnson, or Matt Kucher shopping or out with their kids.

After the work reunion our four had a real good breakfast at Palmer's, which seemed filled with locals, always a good sign. The four liked Palmer's so much theysigned up for dinner on Friday night.

Today is Jake and Stone's 37^th anniversary, so it's off to Savannah for celebration. After finding his book at the always reliable Shaver Bookstore, our foursome discover a new drinking place – the Artillery Bar on Bull Street. The place is new, but all agreed it will soon be legendary. At last, a bar with just drinks, no food. What a concept! All four drinks were most memorable, as was the service, décor and vibe. Not to be missed if in Savannah for more than 15 minutes.

At the Artillery Bar in Savannah

As good as Artillery was, the also-new restaurant The Grey proves to be its equal. Housed in Savannah's old and previously abandoned Greyhound bus terminal, the designed refurb left enough of the old terminal to be quietly retro chic. Food hits of the night included the raw bar oyster menu, the County Pasta and the Roasted Yardbird. The celebration concluded with a nightcap back at the Westin Hotel bar. A wonderful day and night made that much better by being shared with two most wonderful friends.

Typical fairway setting at
the three Jekyll Island Golf Courses

Friday, January 27, 2017 – Jake and Mr Labetts play a coolish 18 holes at Pine Lakes. The three 18-holers at Jekyll are all $32 and provide a player-friendly time. Oleander has the most memorable
holes, but has trouble draining after a rain. The setting for all three courses is terrific – tall pine trees, some local fauna, no homes or cars or other signs of that evil termed civilization. The main deterrents to par are the numerous bunkers, and to a lesser extent, the usual breeze/wind. Jake's only complaint is that there is little in the way of yardage markers, with most of them being the usual blue/white/red slabs in in the middle of the fairway – a lot of good middle-of-the-fairway markers do for Jake!

Distant view of Sidney Lanier Bridge
seen from St. Andrews Beach 

After The Labetts return their rental bikes (tip: bike rentals are much cheaper at the “Bike Barn” near the putt-putt course on Beachview Drive than anywhere else – about $50 a week), Jake sleeps while Stone takes The Labetts to look at St. Andrews beach where they enjoy a distant view of the bridge over to St. Simons Island, and spot a group of American white pelicans fishing for dinner. Then all four are off to St. Simons for a look at Christ Church and the attending graveyard, made all that more properly atmospheric in the growing gloaming. Dinner at Palmer's closes the day.

Every baby is a cute baby

Saturday, January 28, 2017 – The Labetts depart for their trip home, Jake and Stone shop for food at the wonderful Harris Teeter, lunch in, then attend an interesting talk on “Gatorology” at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. The 60-minute talk is highlighted by letting all attendees touch a live baby gator. It's cute, sorta.

Sunday, January 29, 2017 – Jake and Stone attend service at the historic Faith Chapel in Jekyll's Historic District.. The chapel is worth seeing just to see the luxurious Tiffany window. The “service” is mostly a talk on the the musical history of the the ancient Christian hymn "Gloria," which suits our couple just fine. It's time for coffee and pastry (chocolate croissant/bear claw/maple pecan thing) at hotel's Club Cafe, which is a quick walk from the chapel. The afternoon is time for reading before a trip into Brunswick (GA) movie complex to see the inspiring “Hidden Figures,” which they both enjoyed.

Oleander Course at Jekyll Island

Monday, January 30, 2017 -- Jake plays another delightful solo round at Oleander, and gets an eagle! Well, gets to see one anyway, cruising majestically overhead. Minutes later, above the same azure lake, a pair of ospreys circle the water, but spy nothing and move on. Stone sleeps in, then out for a bike ride. They make good on their promise to visit the bar at the Beach House, and find the martinis match any on the island. Dinner at home and then a special treat for them, a great American musical, “The Blues Brothers” on HBO.

egrets, ibis and storks, oh my!

Tuesday, January 31, 2017 – On their morning bike ride toward the north end of the island, Jake and Stone discover their best birding sight ever. By the edge of the bike path, behind some bushes, there are no less than 13 birds hunting the still water for food. Across the pond, a photographer with a seeming 2-foot long lens quietly snaps pictures. There are several egrets, a possible great egret, maybe an American white ibis and even a wood stork. Later, on the same bike ride, a sighting of two eagles sitting atop very high utility poles, and then on the beach-side ride, pelicans dive bombing into the ocean. All in one 3.5 hour bike ride.

The early evening also turns Jekyll-at-its-best as our couple joins others sitting in rocking chairs on the hotel's sweeping veranda to sip drinks while watching the sun set over the river/creek that separates Jekyll Island from mainland Georgia. As the dark gathers, a half-moon appears, then Venus, the evening start. In the twilight a tall Palmetto Palm's silhouette completes the scene.

Still Life:
Fog & Palm Trees

Wednesday, February 1, 2017 – On his usual morning trips down Beachview Drive to the island's convenience store for morning java for both himself and Stone, Jake often witnessed lovely sunrises over the Atlantic. This morning they both got up to do the coffee run and see the sunrise. Though the weather was reportedly foggy in nearby Brunswick, the Jekyll coast and sky was clear as they got into the car. However, before they had completed the 7-8 minute ride to the store, the fog had rolled in, not so much on Robert Frost's “little cat feet,” as much as on the tires of a truck. No sunrise for you! But Stone did manage to capture the earth-bound cloud in a flash picture taken with her phone camera.

Yet another good thing about golf on Jekyll is that the courses don't have “fog delays,” so Jake got to play another lovely, lonely round, this time on Oleander again. The fog dissipates after about an hour. Stone reads and relaxes till Jake gets back from golf. They head out on their bikes again, getting ice cream at the Beach Village, walk around the Westin Hotel area, then bike back. Stone enjoys a drink on the upstairs balcony while Jake has a cigar on the lower, both enjoying the view of the numerous trees that makeup the maritime forests common to many barrier islands, and the seemingly equally numerous squirrels.

Jake, Java, Sunrise

Thursday, February 2, 2017 – This morning the sunrise was indeed visible, and our couple sipped their java on the beach watching the red sun rise from the blue/grey ocean. When they go to play golf at Great Dunes, the computer doesn't work, so the attendant tells them to pay later. (This happened once at the 18-holers facility as well. Not sure such trust would be applied in Jersey!) The day features spectacularly sunny weather that is not too warm, and both have a great couple of hours on this historic and fun 9-hole course.

The rest of the day passes normally. Coffee and pastry again at the Club Cafe at the hotel. A walk around the hotel and the historic district to look once again at several of the 5-6 room “cottages” put up by the likes of Goodyear (the tire guy) and Crane (the toilet guy). Bike back home with some more views of distant birds in the marsh. Pre-dinner drinks and the usual attendant conviviality at the hotel bar. Dinner at home. Movie. Sleep.


Friday, February 3, 2017 – Last day. Jake plays Oleander again. It is windy, hot (74!) and crowded (Friday is the one busy day at the golf center), but still.... Stone has a final bike ride, pausing twice to read at two of her favorite read-with-a-view benches. Packing for home takes its usual time, and finally is finished as night falls.


Saturday, February 4, 2017 – A little bit longer than half way to Jersey is Roanoke, VA, where – as they did on last year's tip home -- our couple checks into the Hotel Roanoke. Like the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, this hotel is itself historic, dating to the 1880s, and equally grand in style and atmosphere. Jake booked it on booking.com, which has served him well in the past for many bookings, for what he considered a reasonable price. Walking around this hotel is itself a pleasure.

Another reason Jake and Stone like the Hotel Roanoke is its proximity to downtown Roanoke and its several good restaurants. They had a delightful dinner and drinks at Metro!, with it numerous plush banquette seats, which is but a five minute walk from the hotel.


Sunday, February 5, 2017 – Home in plenty of time to unpack, turn up the heat and hot water, water some plants, have a little snooze, and watch the Super Bowl with some Stone-inspired football snacks. Later that night, they agree that when it comes to Jekyll Island, it is never wrong to -- stay, just a little bit longer.

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Other Places

An Even Better Jekyll

Jekyll Island: Golf...

After the Gilded Age millionaires (Morgan, Vanderbilt, Pulitzer, etc.) left Jekyll Island and their “cottages” for destinations and mansions more tony, the State of Georgia converted this smallest of the state's barrier islands into a state park in 1947. Three years later Georgia established the Jekyll Island Authority in an attempt to put the island on a solid financial footing. For the next few decades Jekyll Island became a low-cost, tranquil getaway for the middle class, which found its beaches, golf courses and bike paths quite tony enough.

Bike Trails...

But several years ago it became obvious that the island's decades-old infrastructure and man-made assets were in decline, and in need of repair and long-term upkeep. To generate the needed money the JIA initiated a revitalization program that this year has seen major changes to Jekyll. There is a new, big and fancy Westin Hotel,  a “Main Street” that includes shops and a pub/sports bar. There is now more than two or three good places to eat on the island.

and a Little Thing Called the Atlantic Ocean

And while long-time residents complain of the loss of tranquility, Jake and Stone found plenty of relaxation and repose. While realizing that Jekyll in times other than the dead of winter might be quite different, they both felt that the charm of Jekyll had only been burnished by the new facelift, and were thankful for being able to get a good martini at at least one other place than the redoubtable Jekyll Island Club Hotel.

Wednesday, January 13: Wanting to go more than halfway from Jersey to Jekyll on their first day's drive, Jake and Stone stopped in Hillsville, VA. Here the Holiday Inn Express was not the usual good HIE experience, but the Mexican food and beer at the nearby Rio Grande Mexican Grill was cheap and good.

Thursday, January 14: After paying a week's entrance fee to the park ($26), their drive to the island proper was highlighted by their first bird sighting – an eagle no less! Their little 2BR apartment (yellow 4-apt building, here) on Brice Ave was a minute's walk to the beach, and though less upscale than their previous digs, proved to be adequate to their needs and a very good overall value.

First on the to-do list was the usual big and cold martini at the small and warm Jekyll Club lobby bar. This has long been our couple's favorite watering hole and this first night was hyper-typical of the convivial scene usually found around this 10-seat arena.

They fell into conversation with Tony, who was earnestly “traveling the world for peace with tea,” (see his site: Humanity.org), but on this night Tony was also celebrating a friend's test results of being cancer free. Toasts all around!

"Harry's at the Reserve"
Observation Deck at Westin Hotel

Seated next to Stone at the bar was a woman who pointed out an elderly, nattily dressed chap several seats away quietly sipping his drink. “Harry Anderson,” she whispered. “Ninety-four years old. His family built the Cherokee Cottage [20 rooms, 8 baths] here on Jekyll. Read the book The Strenuous Life of Harry Anderson, to find out all about him.” As Jake and Stone were leaving the bartender told them that Harry stays every year on Jekyll from January through March, and that the observation deck at the new Westin Hotel, Harry's at the Reserve, is named after him.

After the eagle sighting, Tony, and Harry, it seemed this first night was now certainly out of wonderful surprises -- until Jake and Stone stopped in at the Wee Pub on “Main Street” near the new Westin Hotel. Stella Artois on tap! and perhaps the best fish and chips ever!

It seemed only proper on such a miraculous first night that they return to the Jekyll Club Hotel for a quiet sunset view while seated on the large veranda. Then it was off to their almost-beachside quarters to sleep – if not “the sleep of the just,” then the sleep of the grateful, whose slumber is equally untroubled.

Friday, January 15: Much as their first drink is always at the Jekyll Club, our duo's first breakfast is always at the Waffle House in nearby Brunswick, GA. The two venues are a sort of yin and yang of their trips to Jekyll, with the yachtsmen and world peace entrepreneurs of the Club now being replaced by truck drivers and moms with kids in tow. Together the disparate two scenes form a sort of Jekyll Tao.

After breakfast the nearby Winn Dixie provides all the fixin's necessary for their apartment stay. The day turns rainy, which is OK by Stone as she delights in a long beach walk back on Jekyll down to the “Main Street” shopping area where she enjoys a haircut and local gossip at Kay's Beauty Salon. The rain stops long enough for Jake to have round of golf on a wet and windy Pine Lakes course. Then it's a quick dinner for them both and out to the movies in Brunswick, GA, where they see “Brooklyn,” which they both enjoyed.

After the movie it was time to try a martini at the new Westin. Here the long bar serves as the entrance to the Reserve restaurant, and who should they see at the bar as they walk in but Tony (of humanity.org) talking to two women. He had been a ladies' favorite at the Jekyll Club bar last night, so Jake couldn't resist kidding him about his wine-and-women path to world peace. Being a man of a liberal and benevolent nature, he smiled and raised his laptop as evidence in a trial he was bound to lose – “But I'm really only here for the fast Wi-Fi,” he laughed. The bar at the Westin is top-shelf, and like the hotel, very stylish. As was the martini. Tony was still talking to the two women as our couple left. But then the majority of humanity is, after all, women.

In Front of the Crane "Cottage"

Saturday, January 16: Jekyll's lone convenience store is a combo Flash Foods/DQ Grill and Chill right at the island's entrance. Here the java was hot and cheap, and the ride from the apartment down Beachview Drive afforded the bonus of a sunrise over the Atlantic. After breakfast with the brought-home coffee, Jake and Stone headed out on a long bike ride around the northern end of the island, down the island's western flank through several miles of trees ribboned with Spanish moss, and finally down to the Jekyll Hotel. Here they had pastries, tea and coffee from the hotel's Club Cafe on the hotel's backside veranda.

After biking back to their 2BR Jake and Stone strolled through the Brice Lane “neighborhood,” where a resident invited us to pick two oranges from his tree. (Full of seeds but tasty.) Dinner was hamburgers prepared on the provided BBQ. Sweet.

Sunday, January 17: As sometime Unitarians, Jake and Stone usually try to visit a UU place on their vacations. This Sunday they went to Brunswick for breakfast at an IHOP (after their hoped-for breakfast place was closed), then attended a very nice MLK-Day service at the UU of Coastal Georgia. The service was lead by an energetic great-grandmother, Jane Page, who splits her duties with UUCG and the UU in Statesboro, GA.

(In a bit of happy coincidence, the Pastor Emeritus of UUCG is none other than the Rev. William “Bill” R. Phillips. In 2007, just after they had both retired, Jake and Stone took a long motor trip down to Florida. Along they way they stayed one night at Rev. Bill's Jekyll residence (the rent went

Green With a View

to the UU building fund). That visit was their introduction to the wonders of Jekyll (the Rev. showed them around Jekyll's historic district in his golf cart) and serves as the starting point for all of Jekyll that has followed.)

After a snooze back on Jekyll, our duo had a wonderful twilight round of husband-and-wife golf on the best nine holes on Jekyll – the GreatDunes Course. (Stone was really killing the ball all late-afternoon long.) Then it was back to the ranch for some drinks, dinner, and some Sunday NFL football before bedtime.

Swing Time

Monday, January 18: Having heard that dolphin spotting on Jekyll was most likely successful from St. Andrew's beach, Jake and Stone headed south to the the island's tip. It was very windy, with not a dolphin in sight among the waves and whitecaps, but their beach walk was rewarded with relatively rare sighting of white pelicans gliding over the ocean. A short walk through the beachside woods gave them access to a primitive long-roped swing, which they enjoyed like kids, until some genuine children took over the play. A visit to the nearby Tidelands Nature Center proved to the best $4 (each) they spent on the island.

After lunch and a snooze it was movie time again, this time The Big Short. In the same mall as the movie complex was the Copper Pig BBQ & Smokehouse, which they had heard described as a “red-neck sports bar.” The pulled pork was tasty and the beer nice and cold, but there was little evidence of a rural/country flavor until several kids delighted their parents by trying to stay on the mechanical “bucking pig” inside the restaurant, while outside the restaurant several more kids squealed in delight as they fed the live “gators.”

Gators Waiting to be Fed

Tuesday, January 19: Near the exit for Brunswick on I-95, Jake and Stone had spotted the largest Denny's they could remember seeing, so this morning they gave it a shot for breakfast and found the service, food and atmosphere quiet pleasing. While Jake played 18 holes at Jekyll's Indian Mound course, Stone once again biked the paved paths and walked the low-tide beach. After an afternoon of relaxation and reading, this typical Jekyll day was finished with drinks at the Jekyll Club and dinner at the Driftwood Bistro with the best shrimp and grits of the trip.

Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail

Wednesday, January 20: Jacksonville (FL) is a little over an hour's drive south. To the west of the city is one of Florida's oldest bike trails, the Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail. Here our duo found a wide and paved path that is well marked and runs for 14.5 miles through rural landscapes. At the trail's midway point is Camp Milton, Florida's most important Civil War site. Today is part of a historic preserve and park. The trail itself was fun to ride, and its canopy of trees gave plenty of shade. The trial's only drawback was its straight-line nature, but overall it provided Jake and Stone with a good, if not overly interesting ride.

Back in Jekyll, Jake and Stone did some shopping at the brand new Jekyll Market, which is a mainstay of the “revitalized Jekyll Island.” It is quite large (especially for Jekyll) and offers lots of stuff, including some six-packs of Jekyll Beer, which make for handy gifts.

Thursday, January 21: Another standard Jekyll day. The morning featured a 10 mile bike ride, with coffee and pastry at the Club Cafe making for a needed rest. After biking back to the ranch, Stone again explored the beach and read, Jake played 18 holes on Oleander, the third of Jekyll's 18-hole courses. Because it is often wet, Oleander is the least favorite layout at Jekyll, and on this day the play was slow as well.

Recreational Golf in a Park-like Setting 

(Jekyll's three 18-hole golf courses are all similar. All are player-friendly with very wide fairway, but quick greens. The costs are reasonable and the setting is wonderful -- tall trees, lush fernery, bird, deer and n occasional gator. Jekyll's golf is hardly spectacular, but it is very recreational, and that is a good thing.)

Before dinner our couple repaired once again to the bar at the Jekyll Hotel where conviviality was again in full flower. Dinner this night was at Tortuga Jack's, where the new owners seem intent on making this Baja Mexican place worth of its beachfront location. The food was good, and the service was earnest if not particularly coordinated. On the beachside of this eatery a new tiki bar is being installed, which should add to the festive atmosphere, especially in the (likely crowded) summer.

Glory Beach (Parts of the 1989 movie "Glory" were filmed here

Friday, January 22: With rain predicted for most of the day Jake and Stone make a return early-morning trip to St. Andrews Beach, stopping along the way for a windy walk on the long and deserted Glory Beach. St. Andrews Beach rewards them with not only a great view of a heron, but close-up, thrilling views of two dolphins cruising a low-land inlet not 30 yards from the beach.

As the rain starts, The Revenant proves to be a long enough(!) movie to let the clouds be gone by the time Jake and Stone exit the theater. Back in Jekyll it's a sunset bike ride around the Clam Creek trail, then back to the ranch for a dinner of pork, yams, veggies and wine. The night ends with a quick but delightful moonlight view of the beach.

Saturday, January 23: Frost this AM on our couple's car! My oh my. And it was windy also. And there was talk of a historic blizzard back home. When the going gets tough, the tough get going... to Savannah!

Another good thing about Jekyll is that it is but 80 interstate miles to one of our duo's favorite cities, Savannah (GA). When they finally ended their cold and windy walk to Goosefeathers (downtown parking can be a bit of a challenge on Saturday) their glasses fogged up from the sudden warmth of this go-to breakfast place. By the time they had finished their soup, eggs Benedict, oatmeal and coffee, they were properly armed for the weather, which actually got considerably better as the day went along.

Jake and Stone visited the UU church on the west side of Troupe Square. When they had visited last year the building was being worked on; now it was completed and looked great. Continuing their idle walk around town they stumbled upon the Owens-Thomas House on Oglethorpe Square. Finished in 1819, the house is one of the best examples in all of America of English Regency architecture. In 1825 Marquis de Lafayette stayed here, and the very worthwhile tour lets you stand in the room where he stayed, see the bed he slept in, and view the balcony from which he addressed the adoring crowds. A Savannah must-do.

Their ambling took them next to a stroll down Liberty Street, where they discovered Byrd's Cookies. After some free samples, they bought four bags. The day concluded with another happy discovery. After finding out that their planned place for lunch was out of business, they were directed right across the street to The Ordinary Pub, at 217 ½ Broughton Street. The squeezed-in address belies what lies behind the little single door and down a bunch of steps, at the bottom of which is a large basement, multi-roomed gastro-pub. Apparently a hang-out for SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) kids, it was just the place for a late, out-of-the-ordinary brunch of mimosas, beer, “Mac 'n Chz,” and eggs that was so filling the subsequent dinner back at the ranch was necessarily a light affair.

First of Two Whelks

Sunday, January 24: Another frosty morning, which calls for another visit to the Waffle House and some light grocery shopping at Winn Dixie. While Jake reads, Stone goes on an extended walk, the beach part of which provides several bird sightings and then the best part of the day – Stone finds not one but two whelks, which only appear on Jekyll's beaches after a big storm.

After watching Denver beat the Pats in game one of this big NFL Sunday, Jake and Stone start game number two with martinis at the Westin bar. Carolina quickly gets this game in hand and our duo falls into conversation with the bartender, who happened to go to school with the brother of Stone's favorite PGA player, Davis Love III. He assured her that DL III is as gentlemanly as he seems. Back at the ranch, pizza in the oven completes the day and night.

Monday, January 25: Jake and Stone start the day with a sunrise drive down Beachview Drive to get coffee at Flash Foods Then it's a bike ride up Beachview Drive to see their lodging place last year in Villas by the Sea. From here they walk down to the beach to view on-going construction work on The Cottages, Jekyll's new upscale residences, many of which have already been sold, even though not one is yet occupied.

A Red-tailed Hawk Takes Off

Jake gets in another round at Indian Mound, where his game is lackluster, but the bird watching is great. He gets up close and personal with a red-tailed hawk before it takes flight, then sees one of his favorites – the pileated woodpecker, and one new bird – the wood stork. Stone bikes again to the Jekyll Club Hotel, noses around the shops, and has her usual tea on the hotel's back veranda. Burgers on the grill complete the day.

Tuesday, January 26: Today is our couple's 36^th wedding anniversary. First is another sunrise drive for java, then a great round of golf at Great Dunes (Stone killing it, yet again), and then a fancy dinner at the Reserve at the Westin.

Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar

Wednesday, January 27: Another day of golf for Jake at Pine Lakes, and biking for Stone, this time southward to some east-west paths that run through some lovely woodlands. Left-over pizza for lunch and some preliminary packing for tomorrow's exit. A nap, then dinner and a last-night cigar on the deck.

Thursday, January 28: The good times continued at their Jersey-bound road-trip stopover in Roanoke, VA. The HotelRoanoke and Conference Center is a historic, upscale, Tudor-style hotel that dates to 1882. It sprawls across a hilltop overlooking Roanoke

Walkway View at Sunset

and its railway lines. Walking about the grand hotel allows for many discoveries: the cozy elegance of the The Pine Room Pub, official pictures of three previous Misses Virginia who each went on to be Miss America (1979, 1999 and 2010), terrazzo flooring, wall and ceiling murals, and antique phones that can still be used as house phones. To stay here and not take a walk around is to miss a great opportunity.

A great opportunity for good food is also available but a 10 minute walk from the hotel. The Market Street Walkway, a glass enclosed pedestrian overpass with nice views, quickly gets one to downtown Roanoke where the restaurant Lucky provided our duo with a delicious last dinner and drinks.

Before their last night's sleep in Jekyll, Jake and Stone casually looked over some real estate pamphlets and on their laptop for next year's rental nominations. Perhaps on the river side of the island next time. Perhaps some place else. Whatever and wherever, it will be a memorable time, and a perfect spot to celebrate #37.

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