A Warrensburg Landmark Rebuilds

It's a long 4 hour journey going home for the holidays so I usually break in Warrensburg, NY for a shopping spree at the venerable Oscars Smokehouse. I load the car up with smoked German sausage flavored with garlic and slabs of Canadian bacon. But not this time.

Oscars burned to the ground two months ago on Sept. 4th and yours truly conveniently wished it away. When I stopped today, owner Jerry Quintal stood quietly looking over the construction of the new steel frames with a look of optomism in his eyes. Clearly, he was thankful that he wisely decided to take the insurance money and rebuild rather than retire.

"People ask me why and I tell them it's for my sons and all those who worked here as well as my customers."

The delicious meat shop had a loyal fanbase that stretched back 63 years when Jerry's father opened the place. Two years ago, I shot a video segment for the 'Rachael Ray Show' (she too called Jerry with her condolences) and remember taking shots of the dozens of black and white family photos that lined the walls.

"The brick smoking oven is what made all the difference. They don't make smoking ovens like that anymore", said Jerry.

But Jerry intends to harness that wonderful smoky smell from the oven through to the store, enticing everyone who takes a whiff.

The new business will operate with 9,000 square feet of space, plenty more than the last one, including glass windows where customers can watch the curing process. I, for one, will be back for their grand re-opening in January 2010 lined up behind hundreds more hungry folks from all over New York State.

Book a Bird to the Bavarian Alps

There's hardly a town in Germany that doesn't celebrate the holidays without a Christmas market. Proof of trading, swapping and bargaining for gifts in December reaches as far back as the Middle Ages. There were Christkindlesmarkts in every Bavarian town I visited, all replete with rows of wooden stalls selling handicrafts, sticky sweets and mulled cider.

Check out my latest travel article posted on GoNomad.com a few minutes ago: "A Visit to the Bavarian Alps: Christmas Markets and Pagan Spirits".

I went last December but should you decide to go now you can still take advantage of some of the airline specials at Swiss Air. If you're flexible with your dates, Swiss Air offers an Economy Saver flight for $341. one-way from JFK to Munich with one quick layover in Zurich.

The one venue you'll not read about in this article is the Island of Fraueninsel. We took a Christmas ferry across the freshwater Lake of Chiemsee to get there.

It was dark, drizzling and damp, so, with regrets, I hid out in a Gasthof on the island. I thought I was saving myself another flu but the sights I missed would have been worth a few sniffles.

I missed the Medieval Minster performance of Christmas carols at the Benedictine Nunnery. And, the nuns serving up a liquor called Klosterlikör with a tray of marzipan (almond paste). Interestingly, women have been the only ones allowed to make this 12th century recipe for biblical reasons. It's a concoction spicy enough to cure the common cold.

So, definitely, do walk around the Island despite whatever weather you come across. Enjoy the read and book your flight soon.

Do Cell Phone Towers Cause Cancer?

A controversial new documentary called Full Signal is about to debut. I helped shoot several interviews with leading experts and scientists for this film. Full Signal tackles issues that only a select number of brilliant minds are willing to talk about: the long-term consequences of cell phone use and cell phone towers on humans.

Debates on the subject have ranged from scientific circles to the mass media to courts of law. It's also becoming increasingly political as a number of studies connect medical ailments, from dizziness to tumors, to cellular technology.

Local public health physician and Professor, Dr. David Carpenter has been a leading voice on the subject of EMF and high voltage power lines. We filmed him on location in his office and atop the Helderbergs last November.

Following that we drove to Connecticut and sat with award-winning author B. Blake Levitt who spoke ad nauseum about the negative impacts and hazards of EMF on the environment.

And, of course, we found plenty of activists in NYC to discuss the legitimate fears of living so close to so many powerful towers.

My Producer/Reporter, Talal Jabari is a Palestinian/American living in East Jerusalem. He traveled extensively in 8 countries to examine the contradictions of opinions and research on this subject.

Full Signal premieres in December at the Santa Fe Film Festival in California. I would love to tell you that it will also air in the Capital Region but that depends on finding a theater to donate the space. The Spectrum or WAMC's Linda Norris Auditorium would be the perfect venue.

Drier than the Moon

By God, there's water on the moon! Albeit it's in the form of water vapor or water ice or hydroxyl ions but it is there. Where it came from is another question. Scientists predict impacts from ice-rich asteroids or comets. Other stuff like carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, and methanol were also found.

Today, when Anthony Colaprete, the project scientist for NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, said "It would probably be safe to say it's wetter than the Atacama Desert," the driest place on Earth", I knew exactly what he was talking about.

A month ago I wouldn't have known where Atacama desert was. Now, I do. Here are some more photos of that harsh environment that I stayed in for 5 days. Atacama Desert is in Northern Chile and truly is as barren as the moon. Now, it's even drier.

Rallying for H.R.3962

It's a day of health care rallies in Albany, NY. Both demonstrations attracted enough supporters to guarantee media coverage.

Nola and I attended both briefly, just in time to hear the passionate Congressman Paul Tonko opine on the importance of passing H.R.3962 - Affordable Health Care for America Act.

The bill passed in the House a few days ago and is on its way to the Senate soon. This is the final, reconciled version of the health care bill that was amended by three House committees over the summer.

Paul talked about the 40 million Americans who are currently uninsured. As well, he answered questioned on the specifics of the plan.

The Act would include a new government-run insurance plan (the public option) to compete with the private companies, a requirement that all Americans have health insurance, a ban on denying coverage because of a pre-existing condition and, to pay for it all, a surtax on individuals with incomes above $500,000.

All sounds good to me as well to the majority of Americans who need it.

As a small business owner I didn't have health care insurance for the first four years. Then, this summer, I qualified for Healthy New York.

I pay only $231/month with the CDPHP plan. I'm happy and won't be changing if or when H.R.3962 passes. CDPHP is sufficient for my needs despite my plan not paying for certain medications, optometry or dental. My choice works for me.

And that's the key word - choice. The health care bill may indeed be 1990 pages long but it's all about choice and that's always a good thing.

Taxes will not rise, nothing with be rationed, Medicare will not be gutted - those are typical scare tactics invented to derail a Democrat President. Politics as usual for the GOP.

My many trips to France, Germany, Canada and Japan (and so many more) have convinced me that there is nothing to be scared of in a government-provided health care system, rather there is everything to embrace.

Where the Air is as Sweet as the Cooking

Visited the CIA today - that's the Culinary Institute of America, the world's most prestigious cooking school. This year they celebrate their 60th year educating tomorrow's top chefs. The school sits on a former Jesuit seminary in Hyde Park and overlooks the mighty Hudson River.

It's incredulous but the smell of sweet ripened apple pie wafts through the campus like it's a normal presence. It made me soooo hungry.

Someday, I'll be back with Carrie with her sister Julie, she's the student in training here so we can dine at one of the four on-campus restaurants: the Ristorante Caterina de' Medici, St. Andrew's Café, the American Bounty Restaurant or the Apple Pie Bakery Café. All meals are prepared by the students.

Poet's Walk Park

The weather is beautiful this week. I'm taking advantage of my extra days off by biking and hiking. The other day I discovered a Scenic Hudson trail called "Poets Walk Park" in Red Hook, Dutchess County.

The sun was glowing red in the sky and soon it would set behind the Hudson River. Dozens of others had the same idea. We parked our cars and hit the gently rolling trail to the pavilion overview point.

The glowing orb set behind the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge in magnificent glory. Birds chirped loudly and leashed dogs panted happily. I stood there loving the view. What luck that I live so close to the Hudson Valley. I'm no poet but between the blowing mustard fields, snapping tree branches and cleaving foot bridges, I almost became one.

There are 28 more Scenic Hudson Parks to discover up and down the Hudson. That's over 25,000 acres of natural treasures. Many are also wheelchair accessible and allow pets.

Bridging the Past with the Present

The Hudson Valley has some of the longest, oldest and most beautiful bridges in New York State. Out of the 10 that crisscross the river between NYC and Albany, five are in the historical Sleepy Hollow region.

They are: Bear Mountain Bridge near West Point, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge near Washington’s Headquarters, the Mid-Hudson Bridge near the Culinary Institute of America, the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge near the first Capital of New York State and the Rip Van Winkle Bridge near the Fredrick Church castle called Olana.

Once the longest bridge in the world, the Poughkeepsie Highland Railroad bridge finished construction in 1889 as one of the safest and sturdiest iron and steel structures ever built. Its four massive support legs were sunk so deep into the river bed that it was said to last forever.

Then in the 70s, the bridge was abandoned due to a fire and sat rusting in silence because it was too expensive to tear down. But a $2 million corporate grant adding to the $38 million price tag helped launch it as a tourism and recreation destination.

In early October (last month) the bridge reopened as the "Walkway Over the Hudson" making it the longest pedestrian walkway in the United States. The 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration helped spark the financial incentives to make it happen.

I wasn't there last month but this weekend, with Mutti and sis tagging along, we got to enjoy a good share of the Hudson Valley and it's legacy projects.

Temperate Rainforests and World-Class Volcanoes

Good 'ol Steve! My editor at GoNomad.com promptly posted my latest article called "The Lake Region of Chile: Temperate Rainforests and World-Class Volcanoes." Pictured in this photo are 2 Huilliche women blessing the Canelo tree (cinnamon tree) in the Puyehue National Park. Afterwards, the rest of the indigenous people paraded in a circle around the tree blowing the bull horn and playing guitars. Read the article to learn why this country has more beauty than New Zealand, is far more affordable and half the distance to get to.

Chile Meets Soho

It's ironic that I should stumble upon this store in NYC this week exclusively about Chile while writing my travel article about Chile. It's called Puro Chile and sits at 161 Grand Street in the Soho district. It just opened on September 24 as a way to promote Chilean products in the United States, specifically New York City.

Inside is a stream of cultural and theme-driven activities including a store dedicated to all the rare Chilean wines I enjoyed so much while on assignment in Chile a few months ago.

The website says "It's the first space of this type in the world, dedicated to promote the country as a brand, Pure Chile’s goal is to promote, test and sell unique and high quality Chilean products and services, which include primarily Chilean cuisine, wine, and souvenirs."

So, this means I can pick up all those gifts that wouldn't fit into my suitcase and nobody will know the difference. I know where I'll be doing my Christmas shopping this year.

Cozy Cottages in a Concrete Jungle

Pomander Walk is a village-in-a-city, a tiny refuge from the noise and clutter of Manhattan where everybody knows their neighbors and the pedestrian-only street provides security for all.

My showbiz friend Andrea lives here and benevolently let me bunk here until Wednesday. She might need a forklift to get me to move because I'm in love with the "Walk".

Working all day in a concrete high-rise jungle, it's beyond comforting coming home to one of 27 Tudor-style homes of brick, stucco and timber. Each have small garden plots and half-blooming flower pots planted before the door.

The two story, two-bedroom houses were a genuine steal in the early 80's but today owners can pitch one for a couple million and get it. And why not? Living here beats having a doorman, elevator or garage any time. It's on the Upper West side close to Riverside Park and dozens of restaurants and retail stores.

For more interest in this NYC gem check out this New York Times article.

The Curse of Billy Penn

Over an Irish dinner of shepherd's pie and a pint of stout, Adam and Matt gave me the lowdown on the 'The Curse of William Penn'. Even though the curse ended on October 29, 2008 (one year ago today) it's a cute story to share.

A statue of William Penn (the city founder) was placed on top of City Hall during construction between 1871 and 1901. Builders intended it to be the highest point ever reached in Philly and it was until 1987.

Before that, Philly was the proud home of victorious sports teams like the Flyers who won Stanley Cups in 1974 and '75 and the Eagles triumphant 3 NFL Championships between 1948 and '60.

But as soon as Liberty One was erected, a building surpassing William Penn by almost 450 feet, the curse began. The curse goes like this; Philly would have the worst sports record in the nation so long as Penn's view of his city was obstructed. And so it went that no city went longer without a professional sports win than Philadelphia.

That is until this time last year. Last October 29th, the Philadelphia Phillies were dancing in the streets and knocking over cars. It was game 5 in the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays and Utley just faked a throw to first so that he could take out Bartlett at home. It was the tipping point for the Phillies and Billy Penn's curse fell all 548 feet.

Birthplace of American Independence

Being an NPR addict, I heard of WHYY radio long before I ever visited because of one person, Terry Gross. Gross is the gifted producer and host of Fresh Air, a weekly, one-hour nationally syndicated talk show produced at the WHYY studios. At the beginning of every episode the introduction repeats the stations call letters, hence what I associate Philadelphia with. But Philly is so much more.

There are almost 1.8 million people that live here making it the fifth-largest city in the country. And, despite the issues that plague every major metropolitan area (lack of jobs, homelessness, crime) it's still a fabulous city to eat, play, sleep and shop.

I didn't buy any new duds but it was tempting because Philadelphia does not tax clothing. Nearly everything right now has a Philly logo on it rooting for another World Series win starting with Game 1 tonight.

The Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia

No other city knows how to take back abandoned lots and graffiti-laden buildings for revitalization better than Philadelphia. They scoop up sides of police stations, schools and apartment complexes and color over with buckets of paint, reforming an ugly wall into a work of art.

This is just one of the many murals I saw while Diana drove up and down Walnut Street in South Philly. Others include the activism of Mahatma Gandhi, a series of water inspired murals that flow like a river and a 'cops & kids' initiative.

The murals usually take from three-to-six months to finish, it's a collaboration of local residents and community meetings. The beautification program is heavily shaped by many diverse faces, some that might appear in the drawing while the artist draws. The finish product acts like a catalyst for positive social change and discourages future graffiti.

Newark could benefit greatly from this.

Mending Glass in Philadelphia

Thank you to all for the support and helpful notes sent after my Newark folly. What a horrible sense of violation. One of the two cameras that was stolen had shot dozens of countries - it had captured everything from disappearing glaciers in Greenland to the yummy sour-toe cocktail in the Yukon. Odds are good its days of shooting legitimate travel stories are O-V-E-R.

After taping a thin clear piece of plastic to the empty window I hit the road for a gig in Philly. The flimsy window did the trick for about 30 miles through a blinding thunderstorm and pelting rain but then a giant gust of cold wind tore it away. I nabbed it just before it flew into traffic.

The experience was truly white knuckle but I arrived safely just before midnight safe and sound.

Because I'm on assignment, Diana and David, my new best friends in Philly, have helped contact my insurance companies and find a venue to fix the car. Thankfully I won't have to risk driving back to Albany without a window.

In the meantime, my Philadelphia client, who intended to use the camera that was stolen had no choice but to use the EX3. That one was spared.

Tonight, we're working at the E-Patient Connections Conference at the beautiful and historic Park Hyatt Bellevue. It's a 2-day forum about how to connect and empower digital health consumers. Here's a little sample: