Sunday Serial: Metuchen Inn, Crossroads Chardonnay, Tab Finder, Hitman Absolution, and Matiz Mussels

This past Friday, Rhonda and I lit out for another visit to New Brunswick to visit Aaron. Our tradition around this time each year is to take the ferry over to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and stay at the excellent Hotel Rehoboth. Instead, we decided to visit Aaron again, since the boys don’t have a fall break for the New Jersey Teachers Convention now that they’re both in college. Rhonda and I both remarked though that we’re missing our annual visit and might try to work something out for later in the year. That’s always a fun trip: ferry, hotel, dinners out, ramen at Miyagi, and outlet shopping.

We stayed at a Marriot closer to his dorm, and I made a nice dinner rez (see below), and had some phô for breakfast on Saturday. I got to try a Peloton bike in the fitness center in the wee hours, and got an hour in the pool, too.

Stokelan Estates in Autum
Stokelan Estates in Autum

Metuchen Inn

Dinner on Friday was at the Metuchen Inn, which was reasonably close to our hotel. Friday night was incredibly dark, with cloud cover that made navigating difficult. We were driving in the new WRX, and it was my first serious trip with CarPlay; I didn’t realize that I wasn’t zoomed in sufficiently, so I often missed the small turns that I needed to attend to in such unfamiliar territory. Thankfully Aaron was in the passenger side and helped out.

We made it on time, though, and the manse itself was tastefully lit from inside, with a welcoming, soft amber light. Coming up to it on Middlesex Avenue, in the dark after many hours of driving, was a welcome sight indeed.

I had clams with black beans and chorizo, and then sea bass. I was tempted by the wild boar tenderloin, which Aaron ended up ordering, so I was able to try a bite, and it was delicious. My sea bass was excellent, with crispy skin and perfectly moist flesh. Rhonda’s lamb chops were similarly good. Service fell off at then end after being most attentive; Rhonda flagged someone down so we could pay our tab after a long wait for desert.

Me and Aaron
Me and Aaron
Sea Bass
Sea Bass
Rhonda and Aaron
Rhonda and Aaron

The Crossroads Chardonnay from Stokelan Estates Winery

Rhonda and I stopped again at Stokelan on the way up to visit Aaron; we take 206 up and veer off on Route 70 to Medford for a light lunch and some wine. We’ve tried both version of their Myra rosé as well as the Catspaw Chardonnay. The Crossroads is bit richer than the Catspaw, with vanilla, melon, and pear notes to my taste. We stopped for another bottle on the way home yesterday, and took one to go. Aaron got a turkey and brie sammich on a croissant, which was delicious (he decided to come home with us and stay overnight, and will catch a ride back to school with a local classmate later today).

The Crossroads Chardonnay
The Crossroads Chardonnay
Dips at Stokelan
Dips at Stokelan
Turkey and Brie
Turkey and Brie

Tab Finder

I found Tab Finder on Bundlehunt, and for a couple of bucks, thought I’d give it a try. It’s another utility that lets you view and search your open browser tabs. I’ve taken to using TabTab, which doesn’t restrict itself to searching browser tabs; the search is quick and I use it a lot on all of my Macs. TabFinder is a more focused app, but I love the appearance and the search feature works great. It doesn’t support Firefox if that’s your jam, but it does work with Chrome, Brave, and Opera.

Tab Finder
Tab Finder

The only feature I haven’t found on any of these utilities is the ability to close tabs from the menu.

Hitman Absolution for iPadOS

This is an old game that I played on the Mac years ago, but didn’t get very far. I don’t game on my Mac that much, save sometimes on holidays (my birthday is coming up, and that usually means another go at Firewatch). It runs great on the iPad, and I am very much inclined to dip into a game when I’m on the sofa for a bit after cleaning up from dinner. I’ve played a number of stealth-style games, including all three Space Marshals titles. I think I developed an appreciate for this style of game starting with the original Metal Gear on the NES; I remember trying to barrel into screens in that game and getting my ass handed to me. Nintendo Power to the rescue!

So yeah, it’s fun to sneak around in this game, and the solutions to each level are many, allowing you to replay levels to meet goals and try new strategies.

Hitman Absolution
Hitman Absolution

Matiz Mussels in Olive Oil and Vinegar

I mentioned the Piri Piri sardines in a previous Sunday Serial, and since I enjoyed them so much last time, I figured these might be good too (their other tinned fish is pretty expensive in comparison to the sardines and the mussels). I could do without the vinegar but they’re still really good with some white wine and other bites at the winery.

Matiz Mussels
Matiz Mussels

Wine Pics and Some Glass

Rhonda and I had to take the title for the old WRX back to the dealership, so we stopped at Bellview for a glass of wine. I took both cameras, the E-M10 Mark IV with and the EPL-5, the former with the 20mm 1.7 Panasonic lens, and the latter with the TT Artisans 18mm f/6.3 UFO.

I was pretty sure I’d managed to outclass the Lumix 1.7 with this pic from the e-pl5/TT artisans combo:

But an accidental ev setting and the E-M10 proved too good to beat:

Sales Tactics at the Dealership

Rhonda and I were off work yesterday, and decided to look at a couple of cars to replace our aging 2016 Subaru WRX. It had almost 100k miles on it and was starting to look pretty beat up. We did the dealership visit and decided to purchase a new white 2025 WRX.

2025 WRX Premium
WRX Badge

I’m pretty used to haggling and dealing with dealerships, having bought a few cars of my own and also the boys’ cars. I mentioned to the salesman that once we’d decided to buy, when the time came to meet with the finance manager, that I wouldn’t be purchasing any of the additional items she would be waving in front of me.

I got through the initial barrage of offers as I normally do, bristling at the “why? Is it an affordability issue?” That they use to shame you into buying packages. What I didn’t expect, however, was that once we’d agreed to a loan term and expected an approximate monthly payment, she mentioned that she got us a really low APR on the loan (0.9%) and was “able” to keep the monthly payment the same as we’d agreed on even with an eight-year extended warranty.

I asked if that was an additional warranty beyond the factory, and if so, what it cost. She dodged the question and said that the monthly payment would be the same. So I asked what it would cost without the warranty, because I didn’t want the warranty. She tried pretty hard to push the warranty, but I pulled out the original workup that the salesman had given me and I asked where on the sheet the warranty was. It was not, of course, on the sheet.

So we got out of there with a much lower monthly payment. Over the term of the loan, we would have paid an additional 5k for the extra five years of coverage.

That’s a nasty business. Vipers lurking in every corner.

Blogging: An Immortality Project

All religions, all political movements and national identities, all business ventures, all charitable activity and all artistic pursuits are nothing but “immortality projects ,” desperate efforts to break free of death’s gravitational pull.
Oliver Burkeman, The Antidote

And yes, I did put the comma inside the quote, because that’s where it belongs.

Do we hope to capture these moments… these ephemera… to avoid forgetting them? In the hopes that we’ll see them again one day and remember them fondly? To think that we are, somehow, casting the shadow of our mortality just a bit longer than its natural demarcation?

OCNJ Ephemera

Sunday Serial: Kagi Search, Path Finder by Cocoatech, and Andre Agasse Reading Borris Becker’s Tongue

I mentioned last weekend that I was trying to replace the flushing components in the toilet upstairs. The problem I ran into was that I couldn’t spin the nuts off of the bolts in water tank; the metal used in the bolts was softened by all those years of submersion in water, I guess, and not even some strategic spritzes with Liquid Wrench helped.

I mentioned it to our superintendent at work (who was in the process of installing his own bathtub, which made my problem seem tiny), and he suggested using a hacksaw. I ended up using just a hacksaw blade, over a couple of sessions, to cut the bolts between the base of the commode and the tank.

It wasn’t fun but it’s done! We have a freshly refurbished can upstairs. I did the same for the downstairs bathroom years ago. So I can log another home repair to my spreadsheet. Regarding said spreadsheet, I just started it today to keep track of when I service or repair something so I can remember how long it’s been since I tangled with a wary structure, appliance, or some other thing that awaits my attention.

I do a lot of these things in part to save a buck, and to avoid the hassle of trying to find someone to come out and do them for me. I feel like most of my home repairs have a very imperfect version of doneness, as I’m not the handiest of fellas, and always have something in mind I’d rather be doing. But you can’t argue with feeling a sense of accomplishment having fixed something yourself.

Next Friday is another visit to New Brunswick to visit Aaron. I found a host of places to try for dinner, including some intriguing Portuguese joints. I’m second guessing not trying one of those spots (not that it’s too late) because I met a couple at a party last night, and she was from Sayreville. I not a teleologist but I do find such moments of serendipity intriguing. I think we’ll enjoy the Metuchen Inn, though. Looking forward to the visit and the inevitable stop (stops?) at Stokelan Winery.

Do I have to tell you that we’re enjoying some spritzes in this fine fall weather? Rhonda is toasting up some nachos to accompany them using some leftovers from the week.

Nachos
Nachos

I hope you’re doing something that resonates with you from toes to dome. We only have this moment: the past is gone, and the future lies, uncertainly, in the moments, days, and years ahead.

Kagi Search

I’ve been curious about Kagi search since reading about it on Daring Fireball and listening to an interview with one of the developers. I’ve been using Duck Duck Go for a while, and Google, too, and the AI results I get with the latter really have started to bother me. I decided to try Kagi’s trial tier, and while not exciting by any stretch, I found myself very happy with the results I was getting, and when the generous demo bank of searches wore out, I couldn’t see myself going back. It seems a little wild to pay for a search engine, but as with RSS readers, the value proposition is hard to resist.

Path Finder

I’ve been trialing the Finder replacement Path Finder by Cocoatech for years now, but I never found a reason to purchase a license. It popped up on Bundlehunt so I bought a few for my Macs. It’s an interesting twist on the Finder. One of the features I really like is how it displays labels in a window; it’s much less subtle than the Finder, which I like, especially in looking at a folder organized using the Johnny.Decimal system, which I’m currently half-assing. I also really like the Path Navigator feature. Tahoe’s Finder enhancements have been welcome, though. I has a great Yoink-like feature, called the Drop Stack, that lets you move files without opening multiple windows.

Path Finder’s Labels
Path Finder’s Labels

How Andre Agassi Beat Boris Becker

Andre Agassi was a rock star American tennis player who was divisive in terms of his fan base, but was always fun to watch. He evolved, from tennis rebel to statesman, during his career. This video is great, from the tennis angle and from the how-do-I-get-better angle.

The Sunday Call

When I was a kid, every Sunday at 9 pm, my paternal grandfather, “Gramps” to me, would call our house. The 9 pm time was, by his explanation, when the long distance rates dropped. He would call from a rotary phone in his kitchen, which did not have a long enough cord to afford him or my grandmother to sit down while talking. He did eventually get a cordless phone. He was famously cheap about some things, but extravagant about others.

We continued the call through college, and then into my young adulthood and the earliest years of my marriage and fatherhood. In the waning months of his life, Rhonda and I took to calling him on Sunday nights instead, and we would chat until he would nod off during the call. “Take care,” he’d always sign off.

After we dropped Aaron off at college, the idea popped into my head: we should resume the tradition. Sure, we text during the week; I send him pictures of cars I see and other things around which our interests coalesce. We have the family chat and then our sidebar conversations.

But that’s not the same thing.

So we have that reserved space, that time when we chat after dinner, not worried about long-distance rates, using FaceTime over WiFi. The sound is amazing. I have to sneak off to the apartment upstairs or another room because it’s a three-way call between me, Aaron, and Rhonda, and our audio echos if we’re within earshot of each other. A three-way call with middle-aged parents seems cringey in its way, the stuff of a commercial or sitcom. I’m pleasantly surprised, however, at how long we all chat, often for an hour. Proximity has its charms, of course, but the distance inspires us to soak up the shared digital presence.

It’s a new spin on an old tradition. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways.

Sunday Serial: Underbrush Gum, Michael Caputo’s Six-Color Apple Stickers, and the Shacket

Now this is some fall weather we’re having! Rhonda and I were happy to get to Bellview after a couple of weeks away. It was packed but we found an iron table near the arbor and packed own provisions. The live music featured a drummer I know personally, and the singer/guitarist is Aaron’s former history teacher.

Siesta Saturday at Bellview
Siesta Saturday at Bellview
K and J at Bellview
K and J at Bellview

It’s spritzes while the ribeyes soak in the sous vide tank for a spell.

I have some research to do for our next journey up to see Aaron in a couple of weeks. I also decided to try to fix the leaky toilet in the apartment upstairs, but I can’t get the nuts spun onto the bolts that hold the tank on to shake loose. I hit them with some liquid wrench, so here’s hoping. If that doesn’t work, it’s time for delicate grinder wheel surgery.

Dipping into these kinds of projects always cause me some anxiety: I’ve fixed my share of household problems, but you’re only as good as the last thing you fixed. It’s like a domestic booby trap: one of these days, you’re gonna bite of more than you can chew. I guess it’s all in how you look at things.

Underbrush Gum

I’m generally immune to the bespoke infomercial reels on social media selling products, with one, and now two, exceptions: William Painter sunglasses, and Underbrush Gum. With William Painter, they had a comedian name James Schrader star in breezy, smart commercials for their brand, and they were engaging in the way that the Dollar Shave Club’s ad campaign was. I ended up ordering a pair of the Williams Painters, and I still rock them to this day. I have two pair, in fact.

Underbrush Gum
Underbrush Gum

Underbrush’s commercial is more serious, but I was sucked in by the hand-cut gum and the claim that it can reverse decay. I’m not sure if that’s true, but I wanted to try the gum.

One person who tried a piece said, “I don’t think I’d chew that again,” and Rhonda said it smelled like bug spray on my breath. I’ve enjoyed it, though, and I’m happy with how long both the flavor and texture last chew after chew.

Michael Caputo’s Six-Color Apple Stickers

I saw these on Reddit I think, and it scratched an itch I’ve been carrying for a while now. I’ve always loved the six-color apple logo, as a Mac user since 1993, and an Apple II users since I was a little kid. Only the Studio and phone were spared the sticker treatment.

iPad Mini
iPad Mini
MacBook Air
MacBook Air

The Shacket

Whilst trawling Marshalls for things to wear, I found “The Shacket,” which is basically a flannel shirt designed to be worn with an undershirt, and cut straight at the waist, to be worn untucked. It’s a portmanteau of shirt and jacket, which I appreciate in the vein of the spork, and which has generally been reserved to ladies fashion (a la the skort).

Me and My Shacket
Me and My Shacket

I really like the cheap-o shackets I got, and have been looking for the right weather to wear them: we’re not so formal as we used to be at work, and to be frank, I’ve ignored the dress code in favor of my own sense of what looks good. The line between what looks good vs what’s appropriate is fine, to be sure, but I reserve the right to make my own decisions, because I can. I don’t dress like a slob, and serially strive to look composed even when casual.

Anyway, I was thinking about wearing one of the Marshall’s shackets last week, but I never did. I made up for it today, though.

Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University

On Saturday of this year’s parents weekend at Rutgers, we picked up Aaron at his dorm and walked around the College Ave campus, stopping in at Zimmerli Art Museum, and then explored New Brunswick a bit. Zimmerli is a smallish museum, made of tan brick that reminds me oh-so-much of the architecture in South Jersey.

Featured Holdings

Immediately to the left of the entrance was a gallery of Zimmerli’s featured holdings.

This piece played with the notion of famous historical figures whose most defining features–their faces–were obscured.

The Stoning of St. Stephen
The Stoning of St. Stephen

The Stoning of St. Stephen, by Jo El Lopez, plays upon the idea of “stoning,” in an irreverent way. The gallery label noted that Lopez grew up in a strict, fundamentalist household, and how he uses cannabis to moderate the trauma of his upbringing. It shares such linearity with the portraits of saints that kid might see in Catholic Church or school.

Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always

From the website:

Featuring 103 works made within the last fifty years by both well-established artists and recent MFA graduates, the exhibition crosses several generations and examines themes with historic and continuing relevance to Indigenous communities in the United States including stolen lands, genocide, lost languages and cultures, and invisibility. A celebration of Indigenous survivance, resistance, and community, the exhibition provides a provocative and visually stunning view of contemporary art.

The works on display varied from protest and expressions of rage to playful and reflective.

A Statement on Art and Resistance

Topographies of Dissent presents a selection of works by Armenian artists from the Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union, revealing the paradoxes of Armenian history in the Soviet era through the art of its time. Divided into five sections—National Landscape: Land, Identity, Dream; Facets of “Formalism”; Abstraction; The 3rd Floor Group: Pop Art, Hyperrealism, and Neo-Dada; and Dystopias of the Evil Empire, the exhibition reflects the unprecedentedly liberal culture which blurred the boundaries of “official” and “unofficial” art.

I remarked to Aaron that I “hated” oil paintings when we were looking at some exhibits from the permanent collection; they hailed from the 1700s, and had that dark, gloopy look I usually walk right by. Some of the works in this collection, though, cured me of my aversion: they were tight, clean, punctuated by sharp lines and contrast.

New Brunswick

We didn’t linger terribly long at Zimmerli; there will be time for another visit for sure. I’m upset I missed the photography exhibit,  An Eye for Photographs: Gifts from Anne and Arthur Goldstein. 

We walked up towards the Barnes and Noble to look for a t-shirt, but were put off by the prices. I needed some coffee, and Rhonda some hydration, so we ended up at Efe’s for a drink.

We found this quirky shop selling all manner of vintage stuff. They had a cool game room with Marvel wallpaper.

The Two Cameras

I took my camera bag so I could shoot with both the OM Systems E-M10 Mark IV and my older Olympus E-PL5. I kept the Lumix 20mm f/1.7 on the E-M10, and the whacky TT Artisans 18mm f/6.3 lens on the E-PL5. Knowing the TT Artisans took interesting pictures when there’s plenty of light, I thought it might be fun to try to grab some indoor shots where there was a stark contrast between dark and light zones.

Here are two pics I took from inside Zimmerli, looking up from the ground floor to the skylight:

Panasonic Lumix 20mm f/1.7
Panasonic Lumix 20mm f/1.7
TT Artisans 18mm f/6.3
TT Artisans 18mm f/6.3

You can certainly see some differences, but I was impressed by how much detail the TT Artisans picked up, and how similar the images are.

The next two pics show renderings of stained glass, which compelled me to shoot them, as they were in a dark hallway only illuminated by ceiling lights, but because they were strongly backlit, I thought they would make a nice study in contrast between the two lenses.

Here’s the TT Artisans:

“Stained Glass” taken with the TT Artisans 18mm f/6.3
“Stained Glass” taken with the TT Artisans 18mm f/6.3

And the Panasonic:

“Stained Glass” with the Lumix 20mm f/1.7
“Stained Glass” with the Lumix 20mm f/1.7

The Lumix lens grabbed way more detail for sure, but the ultra-cheap TT Artisans did a great job rendering the image because of the light.

I was inspired partly by this shot I took the day before at Working Dog Winery, where I snuck this pic of a bottle of their unoaked chardonnay while we were sitting on the patio.

Working Dog Winery
Working Dog Winery

There’s nothing terribly compelling about this image, and Friday’s waning sun under the roof of the porch didn’t leave as much room for pics as I’d hoped with the TT Artisans. But I was gassed when I saw the contrast between the lighted side of the bottle and the shaded size that opposed it. It captures neatly the amount of light that the f/6.3 needs… but also some creative potential for future shoots.

Some of the other pics I posted above were taken with TT Artisans, most notably the Marvel wallpaper, the coffee shop sign, and Aaron atop the stairs.

Dinner at the Frog and the Peach in New Brunswick

For our big Parents Weekend visit at Rutgers, I made a reservation at Le Malt Lounge for Saturday night. I fully expected this to be the marquee meal of our trip. For Friday’s adventure, though, I texted Aaron to ask him if he wanted to go anywhere special. He didn’t express a strong opinion, but reiterated his interest in the Frog and the Peach, so I made a rez.

Frog and the Peach

It was more expensive than Le Malt Lounge, and decidedly better–casting no shade on Le Malt, but there it is. It’s in a newer development that put me in mind of the Naval Yard in Baltimore: cultivated, consciously developed, and oddly quiet for such a busy city. There’s nothing kitschy, accretive, or quirky about the neighborhood, Hiram Square, in the same way that a McMansion development often appears, and like the Navy Yard, it bears its share of social scrutiny.

Rhonda and I each ordered the Black Manhattan, which added Averna to the classic cocktail. I’m often suspicious of substitutions or additions like this, but the herbal, licorice flavors paired superbly with the drink. It had an inky blackness I appreciated in both the title and the presentation.

Black Manhattan

For apps, Aaron tried the bone marrow, which didn’t surprise me. I expected a couple of cross-cut shins, with a spoon to scoop out the marrow. Instead, the bones were cut longitudinally, such that the marrow (and the mushroom stuffing) was easily accessible. I can’t say that I preferred it with the stuffing to straight gelatinous and umami-rich marrow, but it was still good. It came with bread for serving.

Bone Marrow Appetizer

I had the oysters, which were billed as from nearby Fishers Island. They were briny and delicious, up there with Sweet Amalia oysters in my opinion. I don’t need mignonette with oysters when they’re good. The muddy Delaware Bay ones we often get in South Jersey require a flavor boost, but not these.

Fishers Island Oysters

Rhonda had the the pumpkin ricotta gnocchi as an appetizer. These were fantastic, with only a hint of pumpkin (and not the cloying “pumpkin spice” version of things that assault the senses around this season). They were clearly hand cut, varying wildly from pillow to pillow in shape. They were firm for ricotta dumplings. The garlic mushroom broth and escarole added great flavor and texture. I adored my bite. Sadly, I neglected to take a picture.

Aaron and Rhonda both ordered the duck breast; they had steak on the menu, but it was eye-wateringly expensive (as was Le Malt, to be fair). This was an excellent preparation, cooked perfectly, and the baby turnips, almond spatzle, spicy duck sausage, dried cranberries, and a balsamic fig puree, which, composed, added a ton of flavor and textural contrast.

I have an fulsome appreciation for the humble monkfish since my college days, when I swore off meat but ordered (and prepared) fish as often as I could. The tightly wrapped loins evoked the over-worn comparison to lobster tails, but I can’t crow about that: their lightness was emboldened by the prosciutto, which imparted a nice salty crust to the delicate fish. The shaved squash offered a ribbony pasta texture and chew without adding unwanted carbs, and the lemon in the sauce was nicely balanced with a touch of fat. Monkfish and a glass of Sancerre… perfect any night.

Monkfish

Sunday Serial: Rutgers Parents Weekend Edition

Rhonda and I rolled up to New Brunswick to steal Aaron from his fraternity “learning” this weekend during Parents Weekend. We stayed over two nights in place of our usual trip to Rehoboth Beach, DE, in November, which we’ve been doing for years, punctuated by mandatory quarantine during COVID.

Back in my day, this would have been called “homecoming,” but I guess Parents Weekend fits the bill more, as you can’t assume it’s for alumni only. Aaron reported that the football game tickets were sold out, which was fine with me; we don’t watch football normally.

Friday October 17th

Rhonda and I took a long and languid drive up Route 206, which is an old connector for travelers between South Jersey and Trenton (and parts north). I traveled it many many times from multiple back seats in my youth to visit family: my mom hails from Trenton, and my dad, Milford, by way of the Bronx. Our family, writ large, lived in a band from Trenton to Milford, with frequent visits to Flemington. It’s for this reason that I’ve never considered myself a native of these parts.

Friday’s plan was Stokelan Estates Winery, picking up Aaron, grabbing dinner, and then checking in at the hotel.

Stokelan Estates Winery

I’ve been keen to get here since we found the place on one of our trips to central Jersey, but the only time we stopped before, it was closed. I read good things about their rosé, of which they have two for sale: the Myra 2023 and the 2024. We tried the 2023; it’s billed as lighter than the 2023, but the Chambourcin grape fetched my fancy. (The 2024 is made with Merlot.) I’m happy to report that we stopped on the way home, as well, and tried both the 2024 Myra as well as their unoaked Catspaw Chardonnay.

Stokelan Estates 2023 Myra
Stokelan Estates 2023 Myra

The 2023, which we tried on Friday, is a nice dry rosé, crisp but with a very berry nose. We ordered the pumpkin goat cheese with bread and the no-utensils required charcuterie board (a phrase I’m loathe to utter unironically). On Friday, en route to Rutgers, we sat outside in the crisp fall weather, noshing and sipping.

No Utensils Required
No Utensils Required

Frog and the Peach

Aaron had a fraternity event Friday, but we had time for dinner out before his obligation, and we took the chance to try the Frog and the Peach. Aaron noted a couple of weeks ago that they had bone marrow on the menu, which I take as a declaration of seriousness.

Aaron and Rhonda at the Frog and the Peach
Aaron and Rhonda at the Frog and the Peach

Rhonda and I had the Black Manhattan, which had Averna as an ingredient. It was inky black and delicious. We all enjoyed our dinners; Rhonda and Aaron both had the duck breast, while I went for the prosciutto-wrapped monkfish. Rhonda and I split a dessert, dropped Aaron off for the fraternity event, and headed back to the room for a reprise of My Big Fat Greek Weeding while I downloaded my cameras’ pics to my iPad.

Frog and the Peach Manhattan
Frog and the Peach Manhattan
Oysters and the Frog and the Peach
Oysters and the Frog and the Peach

Saturday

I am a traveler who plans his days around meals. Dinner would feature Le Malt Lounge, which I expected would be the show-stopper night out on this trip. We planned to hoof around Rutgers, hit a mall for some shopping (we’re eighties kids, me and Rhonda), and then dinner. Perhaps most adorably, I mentioned to Aaron that our room featured a sofa sleeper, and he remarked that he could stay over. I readily agreed, and he still wanted to do so as we wrapped up dinner. We were so happy to have him join us.

New Brunswick

We picked up Aaron just before noon and strolled (marched? Have you seen me walk?) to the Zimmerli Art Museum for a tour. I took a bunch of pics with both cameras, fodder for a future post.

The Stoning of St. Stephen at Zimmerli Art Museum
The Stoning of St. Stephen at Zimmerli Art Museum

We then walked up into town, checking the spirit wear at both the Barnes and Noble and Scarlet Fever. Downtown was jammed with parents just like us. We grabbed some drinks at Efes, where Aaron previously tried his first Turkish coffee, and wandered around a bit before having Indian buffet for lunch.

We lit out for the Menlo Park Mall thereafter, and raided the Old Navy there. We ogled the iPhone Air at the Apple Store, and Aaron and I fell in love with the AirPods Max on display, which I think will certainly be on Aaron’s Christmas list. I loved the sound but don’t think I’d use them. But Aaron? He’ll plug right into them.

Rhonda and Aaron and Zimmerli Museum
Rhonda and Aaron and Zimmerli Museum

We had dinner at Le Malt Lounge, which was not at all what I expected it to be, but the food was excellent, and the service pretty good. I had some deviled eggs and a pork chop, both of which were great. Aaron had the pork chop as well, but his was drier than mine. The wine was much more affordable than the Frog and the Peach, and the Manhattan, while more traditional, was excellent. We skipped desert and rolled back to the room after–all three of us.

Me and Aaron
Me and Aaron

Sunday

Sunday of course featured checkout, and another teary farewell, but we had a divey bagel experience on the way back to Aaron’s dorm from the hotel. We got Aaron back to the dorm, helped him carry some necessities and new clothes back up to the room, and said our goodbyes

Rhonda and I hit Stokelan again on the ride home, and then it was a long wait for grocery pickup at ShopRite, featuring yours truly going full Karen and asking to speak to the manager. Nice reintroduction to reality; talk about Sunday Scaries.

At Stokelan, we tried the 2024 Myra, which remains crisp and dry, with a tart fruit bite. I’d lean towards the 2024 if someone pressed me for a recommendation. We also tried the Catspaw Chardonnay, which is an unoaked version of the varietal. It’s got a salty minerality that I really loved, but a touch of richness that I’d look for in an oaked Chardonnay. Really good.

Stokelan Estates 2024 Rose
Stokelan Estates 2024 Rose

We tried the Tuscan vineyard platter this afternoon, which has a trio of spreads, some salami, olives, and pita. Rhonda detected some cumin in the hummus, which I’ll have to add to my recipe.

Stokelan Estates Tuscan Vineyard Platter
Stokelan Estates Tuscan Vineyard Platter
Stokelan Estates
Stokelan Estates

While wining and dining at Stokelan, we agreed to cancel our November Philly overnight (an excuse to eat at Monks Café) and head back up to New Brunswick. I have an Ethiopian recommendation from a colleague, and of course, it’s a chance to try something else at Stokelan.

And best of all? We get to visit Aaron again, before the holidays.

I have more pics and will write up some more granular posts this week if time permits. Thanks as always for stopping by.