Getting By, Dreaming Big

This is a blog for me to share my thoughts on my favorite things: books, traveling, food and entertainment!

Foodie Wednesday: Cooking Light Magazine Review September 30, 2009

Filed under: Foodie Wednesday — readerbean @ 3:01 am
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cooking lightBack in May I had this great idea that I was going to review all of the cooking magazines out there and give my unbiased opinion on what I thought of each of the magazines.  Well I may be 5 months late but I still think it’s a good idea!  So here we go.

 

I reviewed the Cooking Light magazine (seen in the picture – it was May/June).  I’ll be up front and say that I reviewed Cooking Light first because, well, I love Cooking Light (so much for unbiased).  I’ve previously been a subscriber to their magazine and I have a number of their cook books.  I generally find their receipes are easy to follow, light, healthy & delicious.  I was excited to re-visit the magazine as a reviewer instead of a reader.

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Format

  • Website Update
  • “Ask Cooking Light” Section
  • Live Green:  Be Fit, Eat Smart, Beauty Wise
  • Healthy Living:  Good Movies, Enlightened Traveler, Fit House
  • Philosphy:  Eat Smart, Be Fit and Live Well
  • Nutrition Essentials (this is a 4 part series and this was the 4th part)
  • Recipe Section:  Healthy Fats
  • Recipe Section: Berries
  • Recipe Section: Chicken & Spring Vegetables
  • Recipe Section: Grilled Lunch for a Perfect Day
  • Recipe Section: Dinner Tonight (20 min., 30 min, & 40 min meals)
  • Recipe Section:  Eggs Exactly Right
  • Recipe Section:  Lighten Up (Reader Recipe)
  • Inspired Vegetarian
  • Test Kitchen Secrets

I liked the clear & concise layout; it was simple with a good variety and short articles.  One thing I didn’t like was that it wasn’t until page 69 that the first recipe appeared; that seemed a little late for me given that it was a cooking magazine.  However, I did find all the articles and tidbits that were prior to page 69 helpful to life in general!  I counted 61 recipes total in the magazine and I estimated that 19 of them were recipes that I would realistically try.  That’s about 20%, now granted I am a picky eater so maybe you would do better!!!

 

I’ve heard that since I reviewed the magazine or rather since the last magazine I purchased back in May/June that they have revamped the Cooking Light magazine.  So I may comeback and review it again!  Overall, I would definitely recommend this magazine to a foodie who is health conscious and looking for a lighter fare that consists of fairly simple recipes. 

 

Next two magazine reviews will be: Everyday with Rachel Ray and Bon Appetit.  Have a favorite foodie magazine that you’d like to see me review?  Post it in the comments!

 

Post in Comments:

Do you read Cooking Light?  Do you generally like their recipes?  If yes, do you have a favorite Cooking Light recipe? 

Mine would be a toss up between Couscous Salad Cups and Cinnamon Raspberry Filled Muffins!

 

Tuesday Travels: Cold Spring, New York September 29, 2009

Filed under: NYC Experiences,Tuesday Travels — readerbean @ 7:00 pm
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Jon & I kayaking in Cold Spring, NY

Jon & I kayaking in Cold Spring, NY

After a fabulous 10 day vacation we returned to NYC right before Labor Day – yes, for another day off!!!  We were totally motivated after so many wonderful days being active outdoors that we planned an impromptu day trip to Cold Spring, New York.  We had been here once before with my cousin Terence – that was the Hike from Hell!  Although it really was a great time:)  My sister and her fiance Josh had gone earlier and the summer and kayaked, so we decided to follow their lead. 

 

The train ride out to Cold Spring from Grand Central is about 80 minutes.  Once we arrived we went straight to Hudson Valley Outfitters right on Main Street.  We were able to get signed up right away to kayak in the cove for an hour.  However, the next time we go I will make a reservation before hand.  They squeezed us in (which we were very grateful for) but for a second without a reservation I didn’t think we’d be able to kayak.  We kayaked in the cove and were actually able to go under the train tracks and into the Marsh.  You’re only able to go into the Marsh during low tide because if you go right before high tide you might get stuck out there!  We had about 30 minutes so we went in, kayaked around the small part of the Marsh, before heading right back out and kayaking around the cove.  It wasn’t the most beautiful kayaking that I’ve experienced but it was so peaceful.  It made me realized how much I miss kayaking and wish I could do it more often.

 

After kayaking we walked back into town and picked up sandwiches at the local sub shop.  Cold Spring is such a cute town.  There are tons of antique stores, ice cream shops and great looking restaurants.  It’s a place I definitely want to spend more time!  After we picked up sandwiches we headed out for Bull Hill/Mount Taurus – with our purchased maps!  We decided we were going to do the 2 1/2 hour hike. 

Jon enjoying the view of the Hudson River

Jon enjoying the view of the Hudson River

It’s about a 4 mile hike, the first half of which is steep and uphill!  We were huffing and puffing.  We got lost almost right off the bat which made us miss the clear, non-confusing hiking signs that they had in Germany & Austria.  We eventually figured it out and helped two other groups that were hiking that were also looking for it.  We stopped for lunch at the top of the mountain and enjoyed our sandwiches.  The 2nd half of the hike was a lot easier, it was mostly downhill or straight and then towards the end met up with a paved path.  We thoroughly enjoyed this hike and are looking forward to going back and doing the longer version of it.  We were actually supposed to go with Terence, Shion & Jen this past Sunday but the weather got in the way – boo!

 

If you live in the area and like to get outdoors, Cold Spring, NY is a place worth checking out!!!

 

Post in Comments:

What is your favorite hiking destination that is accessible from New York City?  Or if you are not from NYC what is your favorite hiking destination in general?

 

Monday Bookworms: Mayflower September 28, 2009

Filed under: Book Reviews,Monday Bookworms — readerbean @ 11:08 pm
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Mayflower_Mayflower, Nathaniel Philbrick

480 pages, @2006

 

When the Mayflower book first came out I was super excited to read it.  I don’t know what took me 3 years to do so.  Jon had already read this book and told me it was fantastic.  I finally picked it up and brought in on vacation with me.  Usually on vacation I’m very grandiose about how many books I think I’m going to read.  On this vacation this book was so good that I was happy to take some downtime to read it.

 

This book is the story of the Mayflower and the community that landed at “Plymouth” in the 17th Century.  A group of devout English Christians first fled England for Holland before embarking on the 10-week journey to the New World.  Instead of arriving during the summer as they had planned they arrived in the dead of winter.  The fact that they even survived is a story in and of itself.  They survived in large part to the Wampanoag Indians and their leader Massasoit.  Although there were rocky patches in their relationship with the Wampanoag tribe, they were able to work out a truce with the Indians that helped them both in the beginning.  After 50 years of peace, Massasoit’s heir Philip, launched a war with the settlers in the region (which had grown tremendously during those 50 years) which in 14 months killed over 5,000 people. 

 

I found this book fascinating!  First of all, can someone explain to me how I made it to the age of 30 and this was the first I was hearing of King Philip’s War?  I was shocked by this fact.  Maybe I learned it at some point along the way but it was not taught to me in a way that stuck with me.  This war was a huge war if you look at all the wars that have come since in America.  Not just for the amount of people that died but because of the significance of the war as well. 

 

As the same time, it’s hard not to be amazed at the strength and courage of the settlers.  Think about it, I mean really think about it.  Imagine crossing an ocean to a world that you know is there but you’re not sure what it will be like.  You know that you will most likely never see your family and friends that you left behind again and you will have limited ability to every hear from them.  You arrive in this new world and there is nothing but land.  You have no shelter, you have no food except that which you brought with you, you have no clothes or possessions except for the few things that you were able to bring on the ship.  After a few months you have shelter for everyone, families are sharing their houses with the children who’s parents didn’t survive the crossing, the bachelors of the group are sharing one house as well.  OK great you have shelter.  You still need to figure out where your food is coming from, one bad crop and your community starves.  There are no stores where you can buy food, or clothes, or supplies.  You have to make and create everything that you need.  They didn’t come in from a hard day in the field and sit down for 30-60 minutes to watch TV and decompress, they went from one task to the next or else they didn’t survive.  It was humbling to really think about what that must have been like.

 

I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you are a history buff but even if you’re not.  For a non-fiction account this book read like a novel, even though it was meticulously researched.  This is a story that every American should read.  If you do read it I’d love to discuss it!!!

 

5 Stars

 

Post in Comments:

Have you read Mayflower?  If so, what were your thoughts?

 

Entertainment Thursday: Duplicity Movie Review September 24, 2009

Filed under: Entertainment Thursdays,Movie Reviews — readerbean @ 1:30 pm
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duplicityAs I stated in my first vacation post on the flight over to Munich we had our own tvs with movie & tv options.  They had about 11 movies to chose from.  On the way there I decided to watch Duplicity.  I remember seeing previews for it and it looked like the perfect airplane flick.  I was right!

 

The premise is that Ray (Clive Owen) and Claire (Julia Roberts) worked for the MI6 & CIA respectively.  5 years ago Claire burned Ray in Dubai and 5 years later they are working for firms that are competitors and hate each other.  They work together to steal a new product and hopefully make millions.  Will they be able to trust each other with their past?

 

I thought the premise was clever, although confusing at times to follow, as it was told in flashbacks.  Essentially you’re watching the movie in the present time and then you get a flashback from 5 years ago, 18 months ago, 9 months ago, 3 months ago, last week, etc.  So I found that in the beginning I didn’t really understand the whole story as the flashbacks are really what fill you in…  I did feel that Roberts & Owen had good chemistry.

 

I like mysteries and surprise endings:)  For a romantic spy movie I would say it was definitely entertaining, but I’m not disappointed I didn’t see it in the theaters.  It’s not a MUST see, it’s pure entertainment, so if that’s what you’re looking for then you might enjoy it.

 

I give it 3 stars.

 

Post in Comments:

 

Have you seen Duplicity?  Did you like it?

 

Foodie Wednesday: Giada’s Chicken Parmesan September 23, 2009

Filed under: Cooking,Foodie Wednesday,Giada,Recipes — readerbean @ 9:11 pm
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Today I did a guest post for my friend Shion, who has a blog called, Shi’s Eating.  It’s a Foodie Blog.  I shared with her readers all about my Everyday Kitchen Challenge, which is that I’m working on cooking every receipe in Giada De Laurentiis’ cookbook Everyday Kitchen.

When Jon and I got back from Germany we were craving a home cooked meal.  I immediately decided to make a Giada recipe and chose her Chicken Parmesan recipe. 

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 (3-ounces each) chicken cutlets
  • 1 1/2 cups Simple Tomato Sauce, or purchased marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 16 teaspoons grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Stir the oil and herbs in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a heavy large oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat. 

Chicken rubbed in herbs

Chicken rubbed in herbs

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each. Sprinkle the butter pieces atop the cutlets. Bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes.

The Finished Dinner!

The Finished Dinner!

I didn’t make her marinara sauce; I just used a jar sauce.  On the side we had Giada’s Caprese Salad (for whatever reason I was craving tomatoes that night!)  I have to say that when the recipe called for tabs of butter on top of the cheese while it baked I was more than a little nervous, but the end result was amazing.  My husband, Jon, said it was easily one of the best chicken parmesans he’s ever had and that it was restaurant quality.  I have to say I agree with him.  The herbs flavored the chicken so well.  The dish was much lighter too, without the bread crumbs; however you didn’t lose the flavor you might get from Italian seasoned bread crumbs because of the herbs rubbed into the chicken.

The dish was pretty easy, the most time consuming part was chopping the herbs to rub into the chicken.  Once that was done it was very easy to complete.

Another amazing dish provided by Giada!

Post in Comments:

Who is your favorite Food Network Chef?  Obviously mine is Giada, but if I had to pick someone else I’d say the Barefoot Contessa!

 

Tuesday Travels: Day 10, Munich Germany…The Last Day:( September 23, 2009

Filed under: Tuesday Travels,Vacation — readerbean @ 8:46 pm
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View of Marienplatz

View of Marienplatz

This was the day where everything that could go wrong went wrong…I guess that’s the best way to prepare for returning to the real world.  Our train was delayed, we had to switch trains, that train took forever before it left, and we got back to Munich much later than anticipated.

The plan was to go to Victualmarkt and wander the farmer’s market and beer garden and find something for lunch.  However, by the time we got there we were SO hungry that walking through a farmer’s market that was as crowded as this one was was stressful.  We ended up finding sandwiches which we scarfed down along with pretzels before moving on. 

Next we headed to St. Peter’s Church where we climbed 300 steps to the top.  We went out on the observatory deck and there was only room width wise for one person.  So you could only move around the observatory deck as fast as the people in front of you were moving (can we all imagine my panick at this point).  Then you go down the stairs the same way you come up, but once again, it only really fits one person at a time so there was a lot of waiting and more frustration.  I would definitely not recommend visiting St. Peter’s even though the view is good. 

Next it was off to Asamkirche another church that I really wanted to see.  Closed for renovations!  We seriously could not win.  So we decided to do some shopping, see the Glockenspiel (love it!), and grab gelato before checking into our hostel and cleaning up for the night out on the town.

Jon with our last two Humpens @ The Chinese Beer Garden

Jon with our last two Humpens @ The Chinese Beer Garden

Thankfully our night got a lot better.  We took the subway over to the English Garten and grabbed two Humpens in The Chinese Beer Garden.  We brought cards with us and played Rummi 500 (Jon won) and some Golf.  We got dinner and stayed until pretty late.  I’m not going to lie…it was pretty scary walking back through the park in the dark to get to the subway but we made it!

We woke up the next morning and grabbed a nice breakfast by the Marienplatz before heading teh airport.  It was an amazing trip filled with culture, hiking, biking, history, beer & wine, and of course the most important thing each other.  I thoroughly enjoyed recapping our vacation and I hope you enjoyed reading it.  I’m beginning to wonder…. “Where will we go next?”

Now back to regularly scheduled blogging!

Post in Comments:  Where do you think Jon & Beth will go next on their next vacation?

 

Tuesay Travels: Day 9, Fussen, Germany September 23, 2009

Filed under: Tuesday Travels,Vacation — readerbean @ 8:07 pm
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Me on the Romantic Road

Me on the Romantic Road

Our last day in Fussen we decided to bike part of the Romantic Road.  Fussen is located at the end (or beginning) of the Romantic Road depending on how you look at it.  The Romantic Road is the most well known road in Germany.  It is a tourist destination that is known for quintessentially “German” scenery and culture.  This was our 3rd day of biking in a row, for non-bikers, that was starting to take it’s toll.  We decided to bike 8 miles to Hablech and then bike back. 

The Romantic Road was so peaceful.  We met a ton of other bikers along the way.  I told Jon that I wish we could become serious bikers so that one day we could vacation and bike the entire Romantic Road.  He agreed!  It would be such a great way to see this region of Germany.  On the way back we stopped about 3-4 miles outside of Fussen for lunch at this little roadside “restaurant”.  It was easily one of the best meals that we had the whole trip!

View of the City of Fussen

View of the City of Fussen

After our 16 mile bike ride we were pooped.  In the afternoon we geared up to explore the town we had been staying in for the past couple of days.  We explored the castle, the church and walked along the Lech River.  We bought postcards and then enjoyed a drink at a little cafe before we enjoyed our pre-dinner drink on our balcony.

View of Bike Race

View of Bike Race

While we were enjoying our drink on the balcony a bike race started in town.  We watched as they warmed up and then headed down to catch the real action.  Of course we couldn’t really understand what was going on because we don’t speak German but it was pretty cool.   Then it was off to dinner at Aquila, we ate there two out of our three dinners in Fussen. 

One day more….back to Munich we go before heading home to NYC!

 

Tuesday Travels: Day 8, Fussen, Germany September 20, 2009

Filed under: Tuesday Travels,Vacation — readerbean @ 4:56 pm
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A view of Schloss Hohenschwangau (and Alpensee)

A view of Schloss Hohenschwangau (and Alpensee)

The main attraction in this region are the two castles, Schloss Hohenschwangau and Schloss Neuschwanstein.  These castles lie about 3km from Fussen.  We got up early to take the bus to the castles because I had read in my guide book that it was best to get there early before all the crowds got there.  In retrospect, while we were waiting an hour to get the bus back we realized that we should have just ridden our bikes here, oh well, it was a missed opportunity on our part. 

Me enjoying the view from Castle Hohenschwangau

Me enjoying the view from Castle Hohenschwangau

We got a combined ticket for both castles.  We walked up the hill/stairs about 10 minutes for our our tour of Schloss Hohenschwangau which was slated to start at 8:50AM.  We had some time to explore the courtyard and it’s fountain and enjoy the views from the castle.  This tour was about 30 minutes long and was a guided audio guide tour.  So a tour guide brought us from room to room and when we got to each room we listened to our audioguides in our own language to learn about the castle.  Schloss Hohenschwangau was built by Mad King Ludwig’s father, King Maximillian and finished around 1837.  It was his official summer and hunting castle.  Mad King Ludwig spent most of his childhood here enjoying the region.  The inside of the castle was not as impressive as the outside of the castle.  We really only got to see 4-5 rooms.  The audioguide was very informative though.

Us at Mariensbrucke with Schloss Neuschwanstein in the background

Us at Mariensbrucke with Schloss Neuschwanstein in the background

Next we began what was supposed to be a 45 minute slightly strenuous walk up to Schloss Neuschwanstein.  It only took us about 25 minutes but we were definitely walking fast, we were not strolling.  We got to the Castle with plenty of time to spare so we went an extra 10 minutes up, up, up to Mariensbrucke to get the best view of the castle.  I was totally disappointed that it had scaffolding on the side – but oh well what can you do.  The bridge with the view point was actually quite terrifying.  It’s just a bridge with wood planks that creaked as I walked on them and it was a long way down.  I did not like it much (although you can’t tell in the above picture).  As we were leaving a huge tour group arrived and frankly I just didn’t want to be on the bridge with that many people.  I’m not as bad with heights anymore but sometimes I can get spooked and this was one of those times.

We waited outside the front of the castle and planned the rest of our day until it was our turn to go.  We had an English speaking tour guide and this was an actual tour where the guide did the talking.  Again it was about a 30 minute tour.  We saw probably 6 rooms or so.  The inside of this castle was much much more impressive then the first castle we visited.  Mad King Ludwig was building this castle as the first skyscrapers were going up in NYC, which is kind of weird to think about.  He only spent about 3 months here before he died and so the inside of the castle is unfinished.  Schloss Neuschwanstein is actually the inspiration for Cinderella’s Castle.  Take a look at the Disney logo and then at the castle – you’ll see the resemblance.

My overall impression of the castles is that the tours on the inside are rather underwhelming.  You don’t get to see a lot and they go by super quick so you don’t feel like you’re spending a decent amount of time inside.  However, I do think the area is worth the visit because there are so many great hiking trails to enjoy and the views of the castles themselves are impressive.

After our 2nd tour we walked down below Mariensbrucke to see the waterfall before heading back down towards the town.  We stopped for lunch on the way at a restaurant that served pizza (again remember I was not interested in German food anymore by day 9 I was needing something my body was familiar with.)  Jon got a very adventurous lunch (sausage, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut) and it ended up being his favorite meal of the trip.  Who would have thunk it?

View of both castles from Alpensee

View of both castles from Alpensee

After lunch we headed to Alpensee, the lake you could see in the first picture in this post.  We chose that for our hike.  It was about a 90 minute hike, some parts flat, some parts hilly, but with great views of the castle.  Again, such a relaxing and peaceful way to spend some time.  We chatted and explored and it was such a great hike.  I would definitely recommend it if you are in the area.  It wasn’t too strenuous at all.

Jon beside Hopfensee Lake

Jon beside Hopfensee Lake

When we got back to Fussen we immediately changed and hopped on our bikes to bike over to and around Hopfensee Lake.  It was about a 90 minute bike ride, 8 miles long, and the perfect way to finish such a fun day.  I really love biking and hope that it’s something that Jon and I put on our “to-do” list to DO more often.

After our pre-dinner drink on our balcony we headed out and found an Italian restaurant (I know I’m bad!!!) for dinner.  I had shrimp scampi with spaghetti in a white wine sauce and it was delish, just what I needed.  At this point in the vacation I was sad because it was coming to an end.  Do you ever get sad toward the end of a vacation, wishing you didn’t have to return to “reality”?

 

Tuesday Travels: Day 7, Fussen, Germany September 20, 2009

Filed under: Tuesday Travels,Vacation — readerbean @ 4:19 pm
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View of Schloss Neuschwanstein from Bike Ride

View of Schloss Neuschwanstein from Bike Ride

After 4 wonderful days in Salzburg it was time to head to our next destination – Fussen, Germany.  I had read about Fussen in the Slow Travel Forums and it sounded like just the right place to end our vacation.  We wanted to be active and Fussen was just the place.  It is a great town for biking & hiking and we took advantage of that.

We had to take the train back to Munich and catch a train from Munich to Fussen, so we didn’t arrive until well after 1PM.  We checked into our hotel, Hotel Sonne which was about 2 blocks from the train station and at the bottom of the main pedestrian area where all the shops & restaurants were.  It was the perfect location, although Fussen is so tiny that it would be difficult to be in a bad location.  After checking in and getting settled into our room we stopped into Information and got maps and information on bike rentals before having a quick lunch in town.  After lunch we went back to the train station where we rented bikes for the 3 days we ewre in Fussen.  They were very friendly, got us all set up, and it wasn’t too expensive.

We decided since it was 3PM that we would just do a long bike ride that afternoon.  I had read about a great bike path around Forgensee, a lake nearby.  We had the appropriate maps so we headed out for our 35km bike ride (about 22 miles).  This was going to be the longest bike ride I had ever done so I was more than a little nervous.

Us during the bike ride

Us during the bike ride

It was so relaxing, peaceful and enjoyable.  I loved biking around Forgensee.  The bike paths were great and easy to follow.  There were a couple of hills that I had to walk my bike up because they were just too hard!  I was OK with that though as I am not an experienced biker so I certainly cannot expect that I’m going to be able to just tackle every hill without practice. 

Bavarian Traffic Jam

Bavarian Traffic Jam

At one point in the ride we ran into a Bavarian Traffic Jam (see above picture).  We were behind this woman who was walking her cows through this small town.  It was pretty funny, especially because her cow herder was this tiny little goat.  It was adorable.  The whole ride took us about 3 hours or so to finish.  It was the perfect way to spend our first afternoon in this gorgeous area.

Our hotel in Fussen had a balcony that looked out on the Alps (heaven!!!)  So we got cleaned up and enjoyed a pre-dinner cocktail taking in our spectacular view. 

Only two vacation days left to write about and as our days in Fussen were much more relaxed and not as jam packed I’m going to try to whip them both out today so I can return to regularly scheduled blogging as of tomorrow.

 

Tuesday Travels: Vacation Day 6, St. Gilgen, Austria September 18, 2009

Filed under: Tuesday Travels,Vacation — readerbean @ 8:25 am
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View of St. Gilgen as we began our hike
View of St. Gilgen as we began our hike

I found Slow Travel a couple of years ago and whenever I’m planning a trip I always check out people’s blogs & the community forums on their website trolling for ideas.  That is how I discovered St. Gilgen in the lake region of Austria.  Thank you Slow Travel Community!  I emailed one of the moderators who had traveled pretty extensively in this area and got some hiking suggestions (thanks Kathy!)  We took Kathy’s advice and went to the Information Center first for maps.  The hike that we did was the Pilgrim’s Path which was a 2.5 -3 hour hike.  It started out very easy, almost more of a walking trail than anything else.  Then it was time to climb the Falkenstein – wow was that hill steep.

View from Falkenstein Mountain

View from Falkenstein Mountain

 
And it went up and up and up….but the views were remarkable!!!  We absolutely loved the challenge.  There were a lot of people enjoying the Pilgrim’s Path.  We came down the otherside of Falkenstein and continued along our way to St. Wolfgang where we were planning on having lunch. We were so hungry by the time we got there that we didn’t really take time to find a “cute, good” place to eat, it was much more about sustenance NOW.  We both had pizzas:)  After lunch we wandered the cute little town, down the tiny streets and we also of course stopped in to visit the church in town.  It was beautiful – easily my favorite of all the churches that we saw on vacation. 
My favorite picture of the vacation - Jon in St. WolfgangEven

My favorite picture of the vacation - Jon in St. WolfgangEven

Even better than the inside of the church was the viewing area behind the church.  You had a view of the lake & the mountains and it was just so peaceful and serene.  We definitely took some time to soak it in and enjoy it.  Then it was time for the boat ride back across the lake.  It was a nice & relaxing way to return to St. Gilgen.  Below are some pics we took from the boat…
 
View of St. Wolfgang as the boat pulled away

View of St. Wolfgang as the boat pulled away

 

Me with Falkenstein in the background

Me with Falkenstein in the background

When we got back to St. Gilgen we walked straight for the cable cars.  Kathy, the moderator from Slow Travel, had recommended the cable cars to the top of Zwolferon Mountain where there were some hiking trails.  The cable car was really fun (although a little scary in the beginning!)
View of the Cable Cars

View of the Cable Cars

When we got to the top of Zwolferon Mountain we hiked a 45 minute loop which provided great views of Lake Wolfgang (or Wolfgangsee).  After our little hike we sat at one of the restaurants on top of the Mountain and enjoyed a brew – amazing views were enjoyed all day long!!!
 
Best Beer View of the Trip

Best Beer View of the Trip

All in all this was definitely one of my favorite days of the trip.  Next time I would stay here for a full week – there are so many hiking paths you could take advantage of in the morning and then have all afternoon to play in the lake!!!  It looked so refreshing I just wanted to jump in and swim.  Since it’s only 45-50 minutes outside of Salzburg doing a day trip is very doable.  I absolutely loved this region and look forward to returning here someday.
 
After our busy day we headed back to Salzburg got showered and dolled up and headed out for dinner in Old Town followed by Prosecco and Chocolate desserts at the famous Cafe Tomaselli.  It was pretty quiet in Old Town and we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.  We spent some time leisurely walking around Old Town and New Town as we walked back to our hotel, soaking up this amazing city.  Salzburg is a true treat, a city everyone should visit in their lifetime.  We will definitely be returning.
 
Fussen, Germany is the next stop!!!