Michigan – Joe Geronimo

January 12, 2024January 12, 2024

My Bourbon Journey

It was October 2022 at Hudson Whiskey in Gardiner, NY that a seed had been planted and a few days shy of Christmas 2022 where that seed began to sprout. My son Max and I were perusing one of our local liquor stores getting ready for our annual Christmas Eve party. My attention quickly turned to the bright red wax that adorns Maker’s Mark bourbon bottles neatly lined up on the shelf as if this was some sort of tractor beam pulling me in.

Max says to me “Dad do you want a bottle?” I’ll buy you one for Christmas. My other son Michael surprised me on Christmas morning with a bottle of Evan Williams “Bottle in Bond”. Fast forward to January 2024 and my love of bourbon has only grown. I’ve been fortunate enough to purchase quite a few bottles of top notch bourbon currently on the market. I’m actually to the point now where I’m searching and hunting for out of the ordinary ones. For example back in September while camping in the Adirondack Park I was introduced to one made right here in New York State, Cooper’s Daughter Black Walnut Bourbon. This bourbon is phenomenal in my opinion (Bourbon aged in their own American white oak barrels and finished in a second barrel that was used to store black walnut syrup tapped from trees at their distillery and surrounding groves).

Another one I found this past summer while road tripping with my wife through the Great Lakes is Traverse City Whiskey “American Cherry”. I do enjoy this whiskey over ice and fondly remember sitting on my sister in laws patio on a hot summer afternoon sipping this whiskey, having great conversation and laughing, (I killed the bottle). Still I do love classics like Old Forester’s 1920 “Prohibition Style”. This bottle is easily found and reasonably priced in todays market. I find myself gravitating to this more often than not. I’m also in several Facebook bourbon groups and subscribe to a few Youtube channels where I mostly just see what others are posting about, recommending, you know finding that diamond in the rough. I believe it was on New Year’s Day 2024 where I found a diamond. I had saw someone talking about “Thirteenth Colony” distillery out of Americus, GA. I had never heard of them before but was intrigued. I had seen others raving about their “Double Oaked” bourbon and how good it is. I’m not a big fan of “Double Oaked” bourbon at all. However their “Southern Bourbon” whiskey caught my attention. Well let me say I’m glad it did because it is amazing and I should have ordered two bottles because they are currently sold out. They do not distribute in New York and I’m salivating just writing about this one but it’s only 8:10AM😂.

The list is endless and I can go on and on. Our summer 2024 road trip is taking us to Kentucky and parts of the bourbon trail. Along this journey I’ve had the opportunity to make new friends, have new adventures and just sit, relax, enjoy great conversation and try some great bourbons.

Cheers🥃…

Enjoying a pour of Hudson Whiskey’s “Short Stack” maple bourbon October 2022.

Christmas 2022: A good book and some Maker’s Mark bourbon from my son Max.

Old Forester 1920 “Prohibition Style” and a good book…

Thirteenth Colony Southern Bourbon Whiskey.

Burnt Church Distilling’s Anita’s Choice bourbon in Bluffton, SC April 2023.

A little Traverse City “American Cherry” on the rocks.

January 7, 2024January 7, 2024

Roadside America

Our summer 2023 three week road trip brought us to some interesting places. My wife and I had the opportunity to see and eat at some really interesting places that we do not have here in New York State. One particular place is called “The Legs Inn” an authentic Polish food restaurant located in Cross Village, MI. at the end of historic M-119 and the (Tunnel of Trees).

Cross Village is 811 miles from our home and 695 miles if you cut through Canada. It is nestled 30 miles southwest of Mackinac City, MI on the Lake Michigan side.

I have never had Polish food before so this would be a treat. The restaurant itself is just really neat looking, a far cry from our modern world of ugly architecture. It just has character which so much of our landscape lacks these days. The grounds and gardens are just spectacular and are immaculately kept. The day of our visit the weather could not have been anymore perfect, so we chose to sit outside in the garden dining area taking in the beauty and peace along with some amazing views of Lake Michigan.

Not knowing much about polish food I struggled to order wondering if I would like it. After careful thought and changing my mind frequently I decided to keep it simple ordering thee “Old World Sampler”. As the Knight in Indiana Jones said “You Chose Wisely”. TheOld World Sampler” is a popular combination of Pierogi (Polish-style dumplings), Kabanosy (Polish Sausage) and our Bigos (Hunter’s Stew). It was absolutely delicious as I found myself hooked on the Hunter’s Stew. Oh heck I loved it all!

Not wanting to leave and eyeing dessert my wife’s sister Chris and husband recommended we share the “Old Fashioned Polish Berry Szarlotka” Old World Polish crumble cake baked with a blend of fresh apples, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. Even more delicious A ‘La Mode. Holy cow was this good, probably one of the best desserts I’ve ever had while out to eat.

So if you ever find yourself traveling through northern Michigan I would highly recommend you taking the time to stop at the Legs Inn. The food and atmosphere are just amazing and you find yourself at peace sitting under a lush canopy in a truly beautiful place. Note: Legs Inn is only open Spring-Fall.

Cheers!

Waiting for the Legs Inn to open on July 13th 2023 Cross Village, MI.

Waiting to be seated at the Legs Inn Cross Village, MI July 13th 2023.

Looking over the menu in our little slice of heaven in the lush gardens of the Legs Inn Cross Village, MI July 13th 2023.

My wife Julie taking in the spectacular view of Lake Michigan from the gardens of the Legs Inn Cross Village, MI July 13th 2023.

Old World Sampler at the Legs Inn Cross Village, MI July 13th 2023.

Old Fashioned Polish Berry Szarlotka and Łomża (woom-zhah) blend of the local Polish beer and natural honey from apiaries located near Łomża, a city in north-eastern Poland at the Legs Inn Cross Village, MI July 13th 2023.

July 30, 2023July 30, 2023

Bucket list item checked!

Ever since meeting my wife back in 1994 and spending time with her family out in Ohio and Michigan I have been intrigued by the Great Lakes, in particular Lake Superior. Over the course of time I have salivated over Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore through pictures and have been wanting to get out there. As a matter of fact I had wanted to kayak Pictured Rocks two years ago for my 50th birthday. However things didn’t work out and we did not make it out there.

On July 15th 2023 my wife and I checked an item off our bucket list. While we were on our 3 week road trip through the Great Lakes area we spent several days in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula near Marquette. I personally fell in love with the area! Our bucket list item was to kayak Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior. At home we mostly paddle flat water lakes and ponds here in New York and the Adirondack Park. Lake Superior is an entirely different animal!

We had decided to book a tour with “Pictured Rocks Kayaking” out of Munising, MI. Pictured Rocks Kayaking takes you about 40 minutes out on Lake Superior via their custom boat where they launch you from. We were broken into groups of twelve and each group had a guide, there were 4 groups this day. We would paddle Pictured Rocks through and past Painted Coves, Caves of all Colors, Lover’s Leap, Rainbow Cave, Battleship Rocks and finished 5 miles later at Chapel Rock where we would paddle back onto our boat for the return trip to Munising.

Our Tour was the “Ultimate Kayak Tour” what an amazing experience! Everyone except the guides used Necky Looksha 17′ tandem kayaks which were surprisingly comfortable I must admit. I’m no fan of a tandem kayak by any means. I personally would recommend “Pictured Rocks Kayaking”. The staff, crew & guides were amazing. This is a professional operation.

March 10, 2017March 9, 2017

Life on Film & Digital Media: Whitefish Point

Growing up I had the Atlantic Ocean less than twenty miles away and the Long Island Sound a mile away and I’ve never been a beach person. However living so close to these beautiful waters the one thing that has always intrigued me are “Lighthouses”. There is something very romantic yet mysterious about a lighthouse and their keepers.

This past summer we had the opportunity to visit the Upper Peninsula of Michigan along Lake Superior. We found ourselves at Whitefish Point 73 miles northwest of Sault Ste. Marie, MI and the impressive Soo Locks. At Whitefish Point you have the Great Lakes Ship Wreck Museum and the extremely cool Whitefish Point Light Station.

At this point in our trip I was having a camera crisis of Biblical proportion. I had run out of film for one of my cameras and ordered more. The camera shop in New York City did not ship my order promptly and I never received the film. No biggie I thought to myself I have my digital camera so I’m all set. We get all the way to the Soo Locks and I’m just as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. Grabing my camera from the camera bag I turn it on, I compose my very first image of the largest lake freighter to sail the Great Lakes entering the locks. I depress the shutter release and the earth suddenly has come to a screeching halt. There it was in digital text, the dreaded Canon Error 33 message, my shutter had failed! East has now become west, up was now down and to say I was pissed is the understatement of the 21st century. Two cameras and none were functioning. If I had to submit to a blood pressure test at this point they would have admitted me. I resorted to using my cell phone and we eventually we went to lunch. After lunch I calmed down just a tiny bit but was still steaming. Getting ready to leave Sault Ste. Marie and thinking desperate times require desperate measures. As a last ditch effort I ran into one of the gift shops hoping the camera Gods would be merciful on me. Sure enough sitting on the counter of the gift shop was a Polaroid disposable camera. I Forked over the $8.00 feeling like I had just won a major award and literally ran out the door. We were now on our way to Whitefish Point. http://www.shipwreckmuseum.com

Whitefish Point Light Station, Whitefish Point, MI July 19th 2016. © Joe Geronimo

We invite you to experience a night or two at historic Whitefish Point, home to the oldest active lighthouse on Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. This is the original U.S. Coast Guard barracks building, constructed in 1923 for the Whitefish Point Lifeboat Rescue Station. It has been meticulously restored by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society with assistance from Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs and the Michigan Department of Transportation. July 19th 2016, © Joe Geronimo

Michael & Max getting their feet wet in the cold waters of Lake Superior. Whitefish Point, MI July 19th 2016. © Joe Geronimo

July 31, 2016January 28, 2020

Postcards from the Road

We recently have just come off our summer vacation. I think this was one of my favorite vacations to date. We rarely get the opportunity to visit with Julie’s family as they live far away. Rather than blah, blah, blah about what we did while on vacation I’m going with a different approach. I think you’ll be able to travel right along with us via postcards from our 2,737 mile journey. So buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Cheers………..

July 10th-13th: