Road Trip! A Journey Across the USA

February 9, 2020 by mattathomeintheworld in Photo Gallery, USA | 4 Comments

My first cross country drive was in summer of 1976 at the ripe old age of 18, and since then I’ve actually lost count of how many round trips I’ve made from coast to coast to coast, but I do know that it is over 40. One of those trips actually took me from San Francisco to Texas to Virginia to Massachusetts to Alaska and back down to California… a mere 10,000 miles. Many people can’t understand why any sane person would opt to drive for 6 or 7 days rather than taking a 6 hour plane flight, but these pictures may give you a glimpse of why I crave the open roads. Here’s a compilation of photos I’ve taken along the way over the years. (I first posted this in 2016, but have made significant updates since then.)

Let’s hit the road!

Matt’s Photography Gallery

October 21, 2019 by mattathomeintheworld in Photo Gallery | 2 Comments

The pristine waters off Rodos, Greece

Click here to view the gallery…

Notre Dame: The Soul of Paris

April 19, 2019 by mattathomeintheworld in Paris, Photo Gallery | 1 Comment

Paris was the first city in Europe that I ever visited, way back in 1986. Since then, I’ve spent countless days and nights in the “city of light”, and even had an amazing opportunity to “live” in Paris for a month on University business. It has remained one of my favorite cities in the world.

Evening along the Seine, with the glow of Notre Dame to warm our hearts

Despite the fact that I am not Catholic, Notre Dame has long been one of my very favorite landmarks in the city. The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Pantheon, and the Hotel de Ville are all charming, but all of them combined don’t measure up to Notre Dame. Its impressive facade towers over the Seine, and dominates this whole area of the city. I’ve sat quietly inside, awestruck by the rose window and the the grandeur of the Cathedral’s interior. I have climbed the perilously claustrophobic, crowded and winding stairway to the top of the towers to commune with the gargoyles that stare out across the city from up there. I’ve spent a few warm summer days reading a book on one of the shaded benches at the back of the church. listening to her bells ringing out to let me know another hour had passed.

This past week, I watched the TV coverage of the horrible fire that claimed much of “Our Lady.” It was agonizing to watch and I couldn’t keep myself from crying as the intricately carved spire and roof surrendered to the flames. As painful as it was for me to see this, I can only imagine what Parisians felt as they watched helplessly while this treasure that is the soul of their city was destroyed.

I’m sure that the cathedral will be rebuilt and restored to its former glory and that its story is not over, but still, it’s going to take awhile for me, and for the world to come to grips with what has happened. At least I can take some comfort from the memories I have and the photos I’ve gathered over the years.

A one of a kind view

A warm summer day along the Seine

Fair skies over “our Lady”

The front entrance to the cathedral

Close up of the intricacies of the church

One of the contemplative gargoyles atop Notre Dame

Christmas decorations

Dusk along the Seine

Even more lovely by night…

Looking across the River from the Latin Quarter

Spring Break: New York and New England

March 24, 2019 by mattathomeintheworld in New England, Photo Gallery, United States | Leave a comment

When planning for my Spring Break trip this year, I searched the Internet for hours to find the best travel bargains on my airfare and rental car. I could have flown round trip to Boston and rented a car for 10 days and spent over $1000; instead I discovered that if I flew to Newark, spent a couple days in New York, took the train to Albany to visit friends, and then rented a car in Albany that I could return at Boston, I would save about $400. And on top of the saved cash, I got to experience several different places, making for a much more diverse vacation!

Who says winter isn’t a great time to travel?

Come along for the ride…

The Empire State… a Night in Gotham and a Day on the Farm

November 25, 2017 by mattathomeintheworld in United States | 1 Comment

Before my annual pilgrimage… pun intended… to New England for the Thanksgiving holiday, I made a stop in frenetic Manhattan and on a peaceful farm in upstate New York near the town of Coxsackie. Take a brief trip with me, first eating my way through Manhattan like a culinary King Kong, then down of the farm hanging out with some gorgeous animals.

First stop: Billy’s Cupcakes

I ONLY had two… dinner was 4 hours off

Walking the High Line… and urban garden built on an old elevated railway trestle.

Pasta with calamari and shrimp

Dinner in the Village

Good setting for West Side Story

Another interesting sculpture on the High line; if only it would play Quentin’s Theme from the old TV show “Dark Shadows”

Roasted Vegetables and bread

Octopus Salad

The stunning Chrysler Building

The World Trade Tower from 7th Avenue

The most AMAZING ricotta cheesecake

Unique view of the Empire State Building

The World Trade Tower

Christmas cheer along 6th Avenue

View from the High Line

Chelsea, New York City

The walls at Doughnut Plant, Chelsea

Christmas comes to the West Village

Rafele

6th Avenue

The “Friends” Building setting in the Village

Scary sculpture on the High line

Bet you can’t pick just one doughnut…

I had to pick FOUR: blood orange, chocolate blackout, wild blueberry, and cranberry-orange. Breakfast of the insane!

Two and a half hours north of the Big Apple (or is it the Big Doughnut?)…and just south of Albany lies Lime Kiln Farm… check it out if you are anywhere in the area!

My friend Brent, the heartbeat of Lime Kiln Farm in Coxsackie, NY

Lime Kiln Farmhouse

Now THAT is a regal cow!

Pigs with personality

The spokes-goat for Lime Kiln Farm

How cute is that face?

The happiest and best cared for animals you’ll ever see!

Brent’s cat… they always know when they have found an allergic visitor…

and he stalked me all around the farmhouse… maybe because we are kindred gingers!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year…

October 27, 2017 by mattathomeintheworld in New England, Photo Gallery, United States | 5 Comments

I’ve always loved fall in those places where there’s a definite change in the seasons, and there’s probably no better place to be than New England at that time of year. The cool, but sunny days and chilly nights, the explosion of a palette of colors that have always been my favorite hues, the reflections of what’s happening above that can be found in any still body of water, and the heady smell of wood fires, damp leaves, and hot cider donuts… These are the things that make me return to New England every October with the determination of a salmon swimming upstream to return home!

B14 B maybe once, maybetwice

Before Winter sets in, let’s take a last, fond look at the Autumn. All of the photos below were taken in New England, mostly Massachusetts and Hew Hampshire.

Go to the photo gallery…

Finland: Helsinki and Lapland

November 10, 2016 by mattathomeintheworld in Finland, Photo Gallery | 5 Comments

Arriving in a blizzard… where are my huskiies?

My cozy room at Hotel Klaus K, Helsinki

A snowy night in Helsinki.

Walking to dinner with 40 mile per hour gusts of wind…

Respite at Ravintola Kuu: Hot Salmon Soup with Potatoes and Dill

Reindeer Steak… as tender as butter, with mashed sweet potato and mushroom risotto

Finnish cheese with fresh fig jam

Chocolate brownie with sea-buckthorn berry sorbet and assorted garnishes

The chef peeks out through the window from the kitchen, likely due to my loud moans of pleasure

Walking home in the snow

A beautiful night once the winds died down

The Helsinki History Museum Building

And its Tower

and it’s front entrance…

Quick stop-over in Kittilä on the way to Ivalo… the ground crew appears ready for any emergency!

Flying over Lapland

My chariot awaits at the Ivalo Airport

Guesthouse Husky

Husky puppy greeting me

Maya, the pup’s Mom

My room at Guesthouse Husky

Lunch in Ivalo: a reindeer burger with blue cheese sauce

The Aurora makes its first appearance on the northwestern horizon.

Then, the aurora explodes in all its glory. Note: ALL aurora pictures were taken by our tour guide, Mr. Jouni Männistö who runs Ivalo Trek Lapland. My camera could not capture any photos of this. I am so grateful that Jouni took these images of what I saw!