Michael Dalberg Photography and Travel

Wild Horses on Carova Beach..Outer Banks

2011-05-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

Last month we took a drive in our Jeep of Corolla, NC towards Virginia and Carova Beach. Just before we came to the Virginia border we encountered these three wild horses. Shot with a Nikon D200 and 18-200VR Nikon lens

Nina's First Boat Ride! Ahoy Nina!!

2011-04-20T17:51:00.003-04:00

After a breakfast here at home we headed out to The Oregon Inlet and one of the beach accesses. After dropping the tire pressure in the Jeep down to about 22lbs we headed out to the waters edge. It seems sandier here than it was in Corolla and it is a good thing we lowered the pressure down that far. People were getting stuck out there. After exiting, I pulled out our Coleman tire inflater. It took the first three tires around 5 minutes each to inflate to enough pressure to drive when the Park Ranger stopped to tell me there was a tire inflation station across the street at the marina for a $1.00 donation. Duh! Now he tells me!
From there it was a quick stop at Bodie Lighthouse (their little makeover they were doing last year may be still going on but the scaffolding is now gone) and then lunch at Sam and Omie's. Now a trip to the Coach outlet!! We ended our afternoon with a little cruise on Uncle Elliot's boat and Nina's first boat ride. Now, what's for dinner???

Wild Horses Couldn't Drag Me Away

2011-04-19T19:13:00.005-04:00

My apologies to The Rolling Stones for the title but it rings true. While we were trekking in our Jeep on the beach towards the Virginia State Line we encountered 3 wild horses that live on Carova Beach.
We have always tried to see them but except for a quick view through some trees, we were never able to get a view like this. While I was photographing them they started to walk towards me. BA has it on her Flip video camera.
You can be sure I took plenty of shots as well as some with them as they played near the water. (to be posted later).
We headed the 12 miles back to the only entry/exit at Corolla and treated ourselves to lunch at one of regular spots The Route 12 Steak and Seafood Company.

To The Outer Banks... Yet Again

2011-04-19T04:00:00.001-04:00

After a last few weeks of grueling rehearsals leading up to an extremely successful run of Annie at the Count Basie Theater ,BA, Nina and I set off to OBX on Monday. A nice leisurely drive got us there around 5PM and after unpacking we headed out for a quick dinner at The Outer Banks Brewing Station. Today, we decided to motor with our Jeep (top down and wind in our hair!!) to Carova Beach. It starts at the very end of Corolla and stretches around 12 miles north to the Virginia State Line all on the beach! (see BA pictured left).

Edison Flower Show

2011-02-19T18:59:00.005-05:00

BA and I traveled to the NJ Flower and Garden Show this past weekend. It was a Broadway theme with many landscape companies competing. I took many shots but none impressed me more than this Blue Orchid. The black background is real. It is the ceiling etc but I "Photo-Shopped" out the ceiling lights.

We Say Goodbye To Yellowstone and Hello to Rock Spring?

2010-07-08T23:46:00.009-04:00

We left the Yellowstone and Grand Teton area this morning but not before having a hearty breakfast at The Buffalo Valley Cafe It was a spectacular and cool morning and we headed up the winding highway towards DuBois, WY (pronounced "Do Boy"). Lots of construction going on there as crews are always repairing rock slides in the area caused from the long winters. This road is closed when the snow is just to heavy fro them to clear. Along the route we reached a height where snow patches were still visible along the side of the road.
Arriving at DuBois we decided to drive to the top of the Scenic Overlook and we were rewarded with spectacular views of the Absaroka and Wind River Mountains. We continued from DuBois towards Lander through what is known as the Badlands. Lander is a hip sort of town with many young people into climbing living there. One such young man recently opened a small bakery and natural eatery called Apple Valley Cafe and we dined on chicken salad sandwiches for lunch.
Our final stretch for the day was from Lander to Rock Springs (the bakery owner pretty much asked why?) and were lucky enough to see this view pictured above of the Red Desert Valley. We also took a side route along a dirt road leading to Atlantic City, WY and The South Pass City Historic Site. The final leg of the trip was to Rock Springs, a mining town and our evening at Miners Repose Bed and Breakfast. The town was quite old and industrial, and we were a little bit concerned at what we might find, but the B and B was exceptional and Tim and Julie are wonderful hosts that rent two rooms year round.
Our late dinner was in town at Bitter Creek Brewery.

A Unique Opportunity To Dance With A Wolf

2010-07-07T23:41:00.004-04:00

First stop today would be Gull Point Road just south of the Fishing Bridge along Yellowstone Lake for a picnic lunch before proceeding to The Grand Canyon Of Yellowstone. Along the way we passed American Bison grazing along the pastures and even down at the road. The buffalo/bison like what the warm geysers, etc, produce and roll around in it to get the bugs and fleas, off themselves. We also saw a lone coyote atop a hill as we drove by. The canyon, while not nearly as remarkable as Grand Canyon, was well worth the visit if not just to reiterate the differences that the park offers.

Dinner was at The Snow Lodge Restaurant at Old Faithful.

Afterward we boarded The Yellow Bus Tour's Twilight Firehole River tour for the highlight of our day. Rich, a 30 year veteran tour bus driver, was able to show us much along the Firehole River also explaining about how the park is open most of the year for the snowmobiler and how he drives the special snow coaches that are the only way to transport people into the park in the winter. Along the tour we spotted a lone wolf (pictured above) coming towards us and a stream for water. Rich says this sighting is unusual and he rarely sees them on a tour. Our evening ended with a two hour drive back through the park at night to our cabin. The going was slow and dark as we had to look for any animals crossing the road.

Brrrrrrrr....

2010-07-06T22:31:00.000-04:00

Sorry. Just had to get that in. We know the temp at home has been brutal but this morning we awoke to 32 degrees and we will hit a high of 61 and sunny. The morning started with a loop of the Grand Teton Park and a first stop at The Maud Noble Cabin and The Menors Ferry Historic District across the Snake River and Moose, WY. (A precursor of what to come). Next stop was Jenny Lake and a boat ride across to a group of trail heads and climbing trails. The trip across the lake was a lucky one as along the shoreline we finally spotted a moose (pictured above). Evidently these sightings are more elusive than we thought. Once across the lake we took a moderate (so they say, whew!) hike up to Hidden Falls where along with the falls we viewed many day hikers climbing the Tetons.

Continuing on we drove up to the top of Signal Mountain close to 8000 feet and another spectacular view of the Tetons and surrounding areas. High atop the mountain was the "historic cell tower" built in honor of all the children who prior were having "text withdrawal"!!

We headed back to the cabins for a quick stop and then went to dinner at The Buffalo Valley Cafe a small home style cafe nearby dining on fried chicken sweet potato fries and then shared home made rhubarb pie! Excellent! Afterward we took a drive looking for elusive animals but encountered what looked like a herd of zombie cattle. We stopped and the bull started to stare us down while the rest of them started to slowly meander towards us! One very scary black cow with a white face and beady eyes gave us proper cause to get lost! Another great day!!

Somebody Call Dr. Doolittle.......

2010-07-05T22:03:00.001-04:00

We were having trouble locating any types of wildlife until late in the day when we came across this elk lounging and enjoying the weather.

Our day started with the drive in to The Grand Tetons National Park and the drive up to Yellowstone. Pulling off the side of the road at various turn outs allowed us multiple photo opportunities. First stop was West Thumb Geyser Basin and a walk around the hot springs, mudpots, etc. After a nice picnic lunch we headed up to Old Faithful. The geyser was our first stop and pictures were plentiful (many to follow after the trip) then we walked over to the Old Faithful Inn with its unique rustic design, hordes of visitors, and, of course, the fabulous gift shop! With the time around 5PM we decided to head back the approx 45 miles out and as we did we saw a group of people on the side of the road which meant only one thing.... an animal sighting! We were in luck as we saw not one but two large elk described above. Now, hopefully, we can find BA's elusive moose!

Dinner was back at the cabin as Phil and I barbecued steaks, potatoes, zucchini and a nice Cabernet. A great first day in the parks!

Yippy-yi-oh! Yippy-yi-yay!

2010-07-04T23:30:00.001-04:00

Awaking to a glittering Bear Lake and a breakfast of Sausage Quiche, fresh fruit, biscuits and plenty of coffee we were primed and ready for our trip towards Jackson, WY (also known as Jackson Hole) and our final destination for the next few days of Moran Junction and the Luton's Teton Cabins. We arrived mid afternoon and had lunch in Jackson at The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar where each bar stool is a saddle. We all decided to try Buffalo burgers which tasted much like a regular burger perhaps just a bit greasier although that could be the way they cook it! After lunch, and checking out a few shops, we proceeded north and the 30 minute ride to our cabin through Grand Teton National Park. Plenty of warnings to watch for animals but the most we saw were grazing buffalo.
We spent the evening back in Jackson Hole at the Jackson Rodeo (see picture above). It was a first for all of us and it was a blast. The actual highlight of my evening was a 6 year old girl riding her horse around barrels in the same time trials the adults were doing. Amazing just to see a girl her age cantering no less guiding this horse around those barrels. Afterward the 4th would not be the same without fireworks and we were able to enjoy them from Jackson Hole, WY.

Hummingbird Don't Fly Away, Fly Away.......

2010-07-03T23:30:00.005-04:00

The old Seals and Crofts song came to mind while stopping at this vista overlooking Bear Lake. We arrived early this morning after a terrific (and early arrival) flight to Salt Lake City. We headed first, to Ogden, UT and then while traveling on HWY 89 we saw an old fashioned Drive In called Maddox Family Drive In where we dined on a fried chicken basket that was out of this world! The drive in, started in 1949, brings to mind our own Circus Drive In. After chowing down and regaining some strength we continued towards Logan UT and to our final destination for the night, The Blue Bird Inn located on The Bear Lake in Fishhaven, Idaho. After checking in we took a ride to Montpelier Idaho and visited the National Oregon/California Trail Center where we stepped into the days of the Old West (ok I am copying that from the brochure) and took a 2000 mile journey on a simulated wagon train. We ended the evening with dinner at Coopers Restaurant and Sports Bar at Bear Lake and afterwards, after a reccomendation from our waitress, we had to try the famous raspberry shake, evidently very well known, from La Beaus. Although they do not have a website that I could find here is an interesting article from the New York Times.

The Saga of Pet Adoption....Welcome Nina!

2009-08-09T09:17:00.008-04:00

BA and I have always known we would adopt a dog but since losing our beloved 16 year old dachshund Penny, we felt we needed time. After returning from Alaska BA did some amazing research and we started our quest. Last Saturday we headed over to the Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown. We really had no idea what to do and were told to go visit rooms "D" "O" and "G". Get it?
The new rooms at the SPCA are glass enclosed areas that look so comfortable for these animals. Nice to see. We looked at one dog who was not interested in us and then at one of the rescued Chihuahua puppies from Middletown. This poor thing was kept in deplorable conditions and you could see it really needed to be socialized. After about an hour and a half BA and I felt we would not be able to give this dog the care and nurturing it would need. The next day BA saw a blurb about an adoption event in Toms River. We drove down to a madhouse and somewhat disorganized event of people and animals. I know these people do a wonderful job rescuing these animals but it was just too hard for us having to fight our way to look at them. We left really disappointed. I suggested we stop at the Humane Society on Shafto Road in Tinton Falls and ended leaving there more depressed than ever.
That evening I fell asleep but BA persisted and came across a rescue in Oakhurst called Wag On Inn. She clicked and said that she was interested in Nina (Pictured above on "her" couch!). The next morning they contacted BA and said they had checked our references, called our vet, etc and would we like to meet her? BA emailed me and I, of course, said yes. Nina was described as a calm well adjusted dog and a real couch potato. She was one of a group of what are referred to as Sato dogs. Wag On Inn describes them: "These dogs have been abused, tortured and abandoned on beaches such as "Dead Dog Beach", "Los Machos Beach" and "Los Pinones Beach" as well as other animals abandoned on the island." Nina was with the Life With The Animals/Pinones Beach Project. Click the preceding link and it tells of Nina's journey to the US with her friends. We arranged to meet Nina last Monday and when we did it was instantaneous! Nina loved us and we immediately loved her. We took her home and it did not take long for her to realize that she is now unconditionally loved! Nina is a calm, laid back, great with EVERYONE loving dog. Since we have her we have yet to hear her bark. She has been following all the basic commands, sit, stay, and has really taken to our home. BA and I look at her each day and can not believe our good fortune. She has been introduced each day to another area of our home and neighborhood and is quickly adjusting. After a couple of nights she has now joined us in our bed! Right where she belongs. We can not thank all of you involved for helping us adopt her. Click here for a welcome Nina slide show.

The End Of A Spectacular Week In Alaska

2009-07-27T09:59:00.002-04:00

This was one of the last shots I took during our week cruising Alaska. It is a sunset overlooking a marina in Butchart Gardens. Not to be corny (well, ok it actually is) but it is a good picture as the sun sets on our exciting trip. We left Victoria at around 11:30 pm Saturday evening and arrived back in Seattle Sunday morning. After boarding the plane we were told of a delay in Newark due to weather so we did not arrive home until around 3AM! Good thing I took Monday off but poor BA had about two hours sleep before heading out to a conference. We had a great time and enjoyed our week with Joel and Barbara Stark. We hope to be able to do it again. Watch michaeldalberg.com as I will add more slide shows from the trip.

A Day At Sea...An Evening In Victoria

2009-07-25T23:43:00.003-04:00

After a relaxing day at sea where we enjoyed breakfast and lounged on a cool but sunny top deck we enjoyed a concert by Joel Mason, the same entertainer we saw earlier in the week impersonating Elton John only this show was of The Eagles. Absolutely incredible! At around 6:30 pm we cruised into Victoria, Canada and took a planned tour to Butchart Gardens and a fireworks extravaganza. The picture to the left of a sculpture at the gardens was taken with a flash but the rain left spots, etc, on the lens that I tried to correct but at the top where the sun is setting I left the little spots. I thought it gave the picture a "cool" look of evening stars. Unfortunately the rain got heavier as the fireworks started and when the smoke billowed into our faces we felt it was time to depart for the bus. It was a good thing as everyone else had the same idea.

Arriving in Ketchikan

2009-07-24T23:34:00.003-04:00

We arrived today in Ketchikan, AK. We would only be here for the morning as we had a 12:30 pm departure time. After breakfast (I just realized I haven't described the breakfasts on a cruise ship. A Lot of Food! 'Nuff said) we strolled the town and shops and pretty much just wandered as we just felt there was not enough time for a proper tour. We had lunch by the pool and watched as we sailed away to another day at sea heading to Victoria Canada.

Good Morning Sitka, Whales, Sea Otters and Salmon

2009-07-23T23:13:00.004-04:00

This morning our ship arrived in Sitka, Alaska where we anchored and then tendered into town. We had not made any tour arrangements but that was not a problem. There were plenty of choices and as Joel and I made our way we noticed BA and Barbara were missing. We turned around to see them talking to a boat captain who could take 6 people on a 2 hour tour. What drew them to him? Well, of course this smart captain brought along his dog Eva! What a salesdog! Hook, Line, and Sinker! He headed out to all the back areas surrounding Sitka where we were treated to whales, sea otters (pictured left), and schools of salmon. More pictures to follow on michaeldalberg.com. This was an experience we will not forget. Afterwards we had lunch, shopped, and raced back for a 4:30 PM departure.

Juneau! Helicopters, Glaciers, and Red Dogs..Oh My!

2009-07-22T23:44:00.001-04:00

Waking up and heading into Juneau this morning was starting to get a bit depressing. The weather basically sucked. BA and I were wondering whether we would be able to take off on our helicopter flight landing on the glacier. We had arranged the trip through Coastal Helicopters and were surprised when the tour was not canceled. After donning special boots with spikes on the soles we were individually weighed for proper balancing in the copter. The copter held 6 people plus our pilot the only female pilot in the surrounding Juneau area. I will have more photos of this available for viewing at michaeldalberg.com soon. We booked our trip separately and found out later that the tours booked through the cruise line were canceled due to the weather. I guess we will never be sure whether the cruise line was more cautious or our tour company was not!
After the tour we headed into Juneau and met Joel and Barbara for lunch at the Red Dog Saloon.

Cruising Glacier Bay Alaska

2009-07-21T23:27:00.003-04:00

We woke up this morning to the start of our entrance into Glacier Bay National Park. Early in the morning a few National Park rangers boarded our ship up a rope ladder and spent the day with presentations and then a narrated tour of the park. Although I took hundreds of shots I have picked some of my favorites and have posted them to MichaelDalberg.com. Just click the Glacier Bay tab at the top. I will continue to add slide shows of our trip so check my site now and then. Off to Juneau tomorrow!

A Relaxing Day At Sea

2009-07-20T23:41:00.000-04:00

As you would expect the breakfast buffet on a cruise ship is remarkable and this was. We met up with The Starks and after breakfast we went for a tour of the Pinnacle kitchen that included a meeting with the executive chef. BA and Barbara went to a culinary arts center presentation and Joel and I relaxed and read a good book. The formal dinner this evening was remarkable. Joel and I had the king crab legs, BA had quail and Barbara had salmon. After a show with The Westerdam singers we headed to a 50’s/60’s hour of dancing and finished off the night in our favorite piano bar looking forward to our sail in to Glacier Bay

Bon Voyage! 6 people And Two Ships

2009-07-19T23:26:00.000-04:00

BA and I awoke to a view of the Seattle Harbor and took an early walk down there. It was a beautiful sunny morning so we stopped for coffee at Starbucks on the waterfront. I believe legend says it is the first. We met up for breakfast with Joe, Lil, Art and Carol at The Icon Grill. Michael, our waiter, snapped the picture above. Joel arranged for car service to the ship and we arrived at Pier 91 to see the Westerdam docked right next to the NCL Princess with the Chaseys, and Aretino’s aboard. Very cool as we could see them waving to us from their deck! We departed Seattle with a terrific view of the Space Needle, harbor and, of course Mt. Ranier pictured above. The next few hours were spent with a wonderful couple from Houston where the husband is serving in the Air Force. Our 8PM dinner reservation was at Table 1, a window seat, where BA had Prime Rib while Joel, Barbara, and I had Salmon. We ended the evening in the casino and met up with our friendly military couple in the piano bar for some terrific end of the evening fun.

Off To Seattle and Alaska On The Westerdam

2009-07-18T23:13:00.001-04:00

We took off on the first leg of our journey with Joel and Barbara Stark and arrived in Seattle at noon west coast time. After arriving at the Westin Seattle we headed down to Pikes Market (pictured left) for a look. BA and I had been there a few years before and it is really worth a look. Dinner was at the Westin where Joel and I both had Dungeoness Crab with mac and cheese, Barbara had the scallops on avocado and BA had chicken. We headed for a nightcap looking forward to the exciting voyage ahead on Holland America’s Westerdam.

The Trip Home Includes Sunny Skies?

2009-07-10T21:54:00.006-04:00

After a week of mostly cloudy skies or rain we headed home after a quick stop at Micknucks' Market (pictured left)for a picnic lunch of a honey mustard ham, etc sub and some extras. We stopped on I684 at a rest stop and enjoyed our last vacation lunch. Before heading home we stopped at Delicious Orchards for a steak and some veggies to put on the grill for the evening. A great vacation and only one more week to Alaska!

The Tramway Is A Bust... But You Can Go Home Again

2009-07-09T17:54:00.007-04:00

Or at least back to my first apartment in West Boylston, MA. We left this morning hoping to take the Cannon Tramway but when we arrived the clouds were so thick the ticket taker suggested we come back as we would be seeing absolutely nothing. We decided to head on to our next layover in Sturbridge , MA. We first stopped in Franconia National Park at The Basin to see, you guessed it, more waterfalls! It really was a pretty view and looked like it would be a terrific hiking spot. We stopped for lunch at a Ruby Tuesdays located in a mall in Salem, NH and then continued our trek which led us near the town I moved to in 1971, when I was transferred to Miles Shoes merchandising in Worcester. The apartment was rented by a dairy called Meola's, pictured on top, which still seems to be in business although the building seemed vacant and an ice cream store now exists next to it that to my knowledge was not there at the time. The picture below it was the apartment building owned by Meola's where I rented the basement apartment (the lowest window to the left of the chimney) for $140.00 per month. Thanks to BA for putting up with this nonsense BUT we were still not finished. I then took her to the building I worked in across the street from Holy Cross. Great fun and nostalgia for me.

No Rain... Wow A Chance To See The Area

2009-07-09T09:09:00.004-04:00

We awoke yesterday morning to threatening skies but no rain. We knew it would not be worth trying to get to Mt. Washington so we headed for The Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. This is a smart and well laid out center that definitely caters to children with areas featuring all types of wildlife, Black Bears, Deer, Otters, (no Moose as they do not do well in captivity) and Bald Eagles (pictured left). This shot was taken through glass with a Nikon D200 and a 70-300G lens. We had lunch at Walters Basin overlooking the Lake. BA and I both had Pulled Pork, mine on a baked potatoe and BA's on a sandwich. Delish! From there we were off to the Town Of Meredith and a village of shops on Lake Winnipesaukee. Dinner was at Fratello's in Lincoln. I had lobster ravioli in cream sauce and BA had lasagna. We downed that with a nice Sangiovese! This morning the sun is shining and we are off to The Cannon Aerial Tram and then it is off to Sturbridge MA.

Rain? Again? Who Woulda "Thunk" It!

2009-07-08T09:31:00.004-04:00

We awoke Tuesday morning to rain! What a shock. By the time we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast here at the inn the rain stopped so we were off. Our first stop was to the visitors center at the start of the Kancamagus Hwy. We were given a suggested route and the first place we stopped was Lincoln Woods. We hiked in about a mile and then turned back as these were longer trails we were not prepared for. We continued on and as we drove up we encountered heavy fog. Visibility was terrible on the road and it was not worth stopping at any of the overlooks . As we descended visibility improved and we stopped at the Rock Gorge area and then at the Lower Falls (pictured left). From there we continued to the town of North Conway where we were greeted with more heavy rain. So what is the best thing to do in that case? EAT! We had lunch at Horsefeathers and plotted our attack on the shops. One of the more unique tourist shops in No. Conway is Zebs General Store. The town would be a great place to spend some time looking around if you can find a way to dodge the rain drops! We headed back to the inn the long way so as not to climb back Kancamagus Hwy and encountered Polo and LL Bean outlets and stopped at both. Dinner was at The Common Man in Lincoln. We shared a nice Caesar salad and BA had chicken with brie while I had a very nice Alaskan salmon. From there we went back to The Woodstock Inn for karaoke night where the crowd was treated to my rousing rendition of Sara Smile.

Off To No. Woodstock And The White Mountains

2009-07-07T06:28:00.004-04:00

After a stop at Whole Foods outside of Amherst we started our trek north to New Hampshire and the White Mountains. Our destination was the The Wilderness Inn located in North Woodstock. We arrived at 2:30 pm and with bright shiny skies remaining we headed off to Franconia Notch to view the famed Flume Gorge . The two mile loop takes you up towards the Flume while passing a covered bridge (pictured left) that is used for the optional bus ride up. If you have trouble walking, the bus ride is definitely recommended as there are many hills to climb. The Flume Gorge did provide a spectacular view and I will post some shots at a later date. Dinner was at The Woodstock Inn Station and Brewery. We ate in the brewery. BA had their Mom's meatloaf (BA's is better) while I had a steak. Not bad and prices are reasonable.

On The Way To The White Mountains.......

2009-07-06T05:52:00.002-04:00

.....with a stop overnight in Amherst, MA. BA and I are on our way on what we are calling our "warm up" vacation before we head off in two weeks to Alaska. We began yesterday with a quick stop to the new deli in Eatontown called Pizzuto's. We bought a small sub, some tortellini salad, with some cheese and crackers for later in the evening. After a couple of hours we stopped at a rest area on I684 just before Brewster, NY for a short picnic. I snapped this shot to the left with BA's new Canon A1000. It is the 10MP version of the new Canon A1100 that is out now with 12mp. I chose the A1000 since I was able to pick it up at a lesser price while seeing very little difference in the camera other than the MP difference. All in all I like it. BA even lets me use it now and then! We arrived later that afternoon in Amherst and are staying in a Holiday Inn Express. Amherst is the home of UMASS so we went in to town for dinner. A true college town in every sense of the word we found a terrific restaurant called Judie's. We looked at the menu and instantly saw the vegetarian risotto dish. They were two risotto cakes with a crunchy deep fried coating with portobello mushrooms in a tomato based broth with zucchini and other vegetables. Outstanding! Along with a few glasses of charddonay we were happy! After a nice walk through town we headed over to the Appleby's across the street from the hotel for a night cap. This morning it is off to New Hampshire.,

The Final Performance Of "Clue"

2009-05-30T22:31:00.002-04:00

I must say I have enjoyed playing the part of "Professor Plum" in the Eatontown Playhouse's production of Clue that has closed this evening after 4 weeks performances. Adapted from the movie, Plum being played by Christoper Lloyd, It is a faced pace "whodunnit" comedy. You can always view my "credits" at michaeldalberg.net .

An Overnight Stop In Chincoteague

2009-04-17T23:02:00.002-04:00

BA and I were getting a little bored in OBX so we figured we would head home a bit early. We have passed Chincoteague, VA on the way home many times so we decided to give a last minute call to a few to see if they had an opening for the evening. We found a great spot in The Watson House. When we arrived the inn keepers suggested we take off for The National Wildlife Reserve.
Unfortunetely we did not see any of the horses as this was the weekend they had been rounded up for there medical checkups! We did drive the loop around the marshes, etc and went down to the shoreline.
Dinner. Dinner was at Etta's Channel Side Restaurant. Evidently highly rated and packed in the summer.

A Quiet "Veg Out" Day

2009-04-16T22:50:00.005-04:00

We started out the day with a trip south to Cape Hatteras. The sun appeared but the wind coming in off the ocean in gusts created lots of waves and white caps both in the ocean and the sound. When we arrived at Hatteras next to the ferry to Ocracoke we noticed that Dirty Dicks had opened a restaurant. We both were hungry so we decided to have lunch.
BA had the hamburger and I had an Oyster "Po Boy" the fries were just fair but the hush puppies were as good as always. On our return trip we were delayed as North Carolina road crews were busy clearing the blowing sand dunes off the road with a front end loader caused by the gusty cross winds off the ocean. Upon our return we drove over to the pool and shot the video above. Dinner was at a steak house called JK's. I highly recommend it. I had a Kansas City steak mesquite grilled and BA had a petite fillet. All in all a wonderful first day.

A Getatway Long Weekend.... And Lots Of Memories

2009-04-15T21:56:00.000-04:00

BA and I had scheduled this long weekend in OBX a few months back but with Penny being sick we had decided to skip it. Penny, obviously, would have none of it and must have pushed the issue as here we are! It is a little strange as we have never taken this trip alone without her. On our trip last July she was sailing on Uncle Elliot's boat as usual.
Our trip south was easy as we made only one stop while listening to a book on tape that with perfect timing ended just as we were going over the bridge into OBX. We arrived about 3:30 and relaxed a bit, set up the Wii, and around 7PM headed out to The Outer Banks Brewing Station for dinner (it was pasta night) . We ended our first evening at home with a glass of "cheap az" port and a little TV.

Thanksgiving 2008 Slideshow

2008-11-29T07:47:00.000-05:00

As promised here is a photo slide show of Elliot and Marcia's Thanksgiving dinner. I get hungry each time I see it!

A Thanksgiving First and A memorable Amtrak Trip!

2008-11-28T08:53:00.002-05:00

After many years BA and I are finally able to visit Elliot and Marcia for Thanksgiving. After perfect planning and an Amtrak reservation made a month in advance "Mikey" realized as we got in the car at 6:45 that the train was for 7:20 NOT 7:30 as he first thought. There was absolutely no way we were going to make this train. As we got closer everything seemed to work in our favor. No traffic, the parking garage was quick and easy and when we arrived at the office I was able to find the Quick-Scan ticketing machine which also worked perfectly. We ran through the tunnel to the west bound side huffing and puffing, we were going to make it.... Oops, no such luck as the train was pulling away and the conductor was leaning out apologizing that they could not stop the train. After collapsing to the ground (literally) mouthing some expletives not fit for print, I made my way to the ticket window and was able to re-book on a train 50 minutes later.

The trip was smooth and relaxing the rest of the way and we arrived at Union Station, Washington DC no worse for wear.

We arrived at Chez Mar-El to find the dinner prepared, turkey in the oven, potatoes, string beans, asparagus, etc, as we waited for the other guests. Neigbors Joan and Jeff arrived with wine and an array of cheeses to knock your sox off and Bill and Pat came with two deep fried turkeys one with a cajun injection. I know I am missing some of the other dishes served but I will add them as I remember. We finished off the evening with apple and pumpkin pie from Buttercup Bakery in NYC and I was able, after many years, to sit in front of the tv, watch the football game, and promptly fall asleep.

Beauty And The Beast Is A Big Success!

2008-11-23T23:00:00.001-05:00

This afternoon was the closing performance for Phoenix Production's Beauty And The Beast at the Count Basie Theater I played Maurice, Belle's father (pictured left with Belle during "No Matter What" the duet performed before Maurice takes off in his machine and, of course, stumbles upon to the Beast's castle. Well, you probably know the story! Picture is a bit fuzzy as I clipped it off the DVD.

The Right Way To End A "Week By The Water"

2008-08-15T22:50:00.006-04:00

Except for Wednesday our weather here in OBX has been exceptional. Today was probably the best of them all. What better time to take a boat ride. Our trip took us from Collington Harbor towards Roanoke Island, under the causeway bridge leading to Manteo, and then continuing south past the island and Wanchese Harbor, past the Bodie Lighthouse, to the turn off that heads to the Oregon Inlet. On our return trip we stopped in the Town Of Manteo, on Roanoke Island for lunch. (See my crew pictured left. They do have to be fed you know). A short stroll to Roanoke Island Festival Park led to yet another gift shop! As we departed Manteo Harbor we were visited by a school of dolphins swimming near our boat! Dinner was at Kelly's Restaurant where we dined on all things seafood and, of course, prime rib for BA.

Elizabeth City..The Queen Would Be Proud?

2008-08-14T23:45:00.001-04:00

We decided today might be a good day to do a little exploring so it was off to Elizabeth City, NC, a historic old town trying to become another one of those waterfront, antique shop style cities. They are ,but walking around the town proved they are not there yet. We began with lunch at a dockside restaurant called Groupers. Would you believe our waitress was originally from Brigantine, NJ? She has been traveling with her boyfriend who is in the Coast Guard and currently stationed in Elizabeth City. They have a wonderful new Museum Of The Albermarle that is well worth the stop dating back to the early settlers and the waterfront is clean and remodeled (see picture left), but the shops leave a lot to be desired.
During spring and fall the waterfront is host to transient boaters either traveling north or south and they allow 48 hours of free dockage as they are direct off the Intra Coastal Waterway.
We prepared a dinner at home of tuna steaks with salsa on the grill (chicken for BA), corn on the cob, snap peas, and a nice chardonnay. Dessert was ice cream and peanut butter cookies we picked up at a roadside stand. We finished off the evening with a rousing few hours of Wii!

It's Raining..Now What Do We Do?

2008-08-13T23:52:00.001-04:00

If you are among the 4 trillion other people who asked the same question you head north to Duck and Corolla to shop. Yikes! The traffic for a Wednesday afternoon was bumper to bumper and for times did not move. But so what! We are on vacation. After lunch at the Route 12 Steak and Seafood we were happy and content. Just ask the "Mertz's" (pictured left). The "fuel" allowed us to make our way through the "sea of humanity" in the Tim Buc II shopping plaza for the remainder of the afternoon. The evening came to an end with dinner at The Flying Fish Cafe where we dined on Cobia, Oysters, Crab, Filet and Lamb! Wine was a Beringer Pinot Grigio for Carrie and Phil, Glass Mountain Chardonnay for BA and a Vodka Martini for Mike who also managed to sneak in a glass of "cheapaz" port.

The Old "Men" And The Sea

2008-08-12T23:59:00.002-04:00

Guest photographer Karen Apruzzi captured this image of two old guys body surfing today on the beach at OBX. I guess you are never too old to enjoy the sun and surf. After breakfast at Sam and Omies in Nags Head (a BA and Mike fave) we headed across the street to the beach for an afternoon of swim, surf, tanning, (burning?), and of course good books. After lunch, and the obligatory late afternoon nap, we spent the evening on Roanoke Island attending The Waterside Theater presentation of The Lost Colony on Roanoke Island, finishing off the evening with a late night pizza and a bottle of wine. Another relaxing day.

Watch Out Tiger... Carrie's On Your Tail!

2008-08-11T21:56:00.004-04:00

Nags Head, NC. The golfing world was stunned this evening as word reverberated that Carrie Apruzzi had just set a world 9 hole blistering record 18 on the first nine holes of the world renowned Blackbeard's Mini Golf here in Nags Head. She accomplished the feat by shooting a record nine straight two's! She parlayed that start with her 2nd 9 holes leading to her first "major" victory on tour. "Incredible" said her husband Phil as he could only watch in awe as he crippled along to last place. BA and Mike could only shake their heads.
Earlier today the fearsome foursome had spent a leisurely afternoon anchored on Kitty Hawk Bay munching on a combination of snacks.

Is This a Seagull? I Can't Figure it Out!

2008-08-10T22:38:00.006-04:00

Oh well. Such is the life of vacation. Trying to figure out these stressful problems. After breakfast we headed out to the Oregon Inlet for a walk on the jetty. The seagulls, of course, were circling looking for food but this particular one seemed to want to "perform" a little more for us. As we got towards the end of the jetty the sky darkened and we had to make our way back with a light, but wind soaked rain seeming to attach itself to the right side of our bodies! A trip to Harris Teeter for "supplies" such as hamburgers, pork, salads, etc, and we were set for the little dinner party barbecue with friends of Elliot and Marcia who happened to be visiting OBX at the same time.

We're Baaaaaack. OBX Let's Give It Another Try!

2008-08-09T23:50:00.004-04:00

After two years we are back in OBX with the "Mertz's" who, unfortunately, had to leave early with us back in Aug 06, and never really got a chance to experience it here. We arrived about 7PM after a relatively smooth, 8 hour(whew) ride down from "Joisey". Penny decided she would enjoy a week at the RBVH "Spa" where she is probably having her nails trimmed and painted as we speak. Elliot and Marcia are able to join us for the first few days which is nice, incidentally, since it is their place! After arriving we sat down to some pasta, etc, from our favorite pizza joint, Slice in Kill Devil Hills. A little wine, food, conversation, and a glass of port. What a great way to start the week!

Our Last morning at OBX..Plus a LOOOONG Ride Home!

2008-07-19T23:41:00.006-04:00

Well, not much could top the terrific full moon rising we saw on our own "private beach" pictured left and we were pretty much right. This morning while BA was doing last minute cleaning I snuck out for one last boat ride. I headed out about two miles until I could see the western side bridges that leave Roanoke Island for mainland NC including the older Manns Harbor bridge and it was certainly visible and can be accessed by boat. After returning we leisurely packed up and finally left about 12 noon. I decided the best route would be the highways past Williamsburg towards Elliot and Marcias place in VA and north 95 because I was afraid of the RT13 beach traffic we hit on the way down last week. BIG mistake. Traffic, traffic, and more traffic! We finally reached Oceanport at 10:30 Pm and we only stopped 3 times! I will have to re-think the route and time for next months trip.
All in all BA and I had such a great time we have taken to calling this our belated honeymoon!
You can view some of my favorite shots of the trip here.

Full Moon.. Worth The Wait.

2008-07-18T23:09:00.001-04:00

We started Friday as most mornings with coffee and then out to breakfast this time at a place called The Grits Grill in Nags Head. We both had Hotcakes but not the grits. Afterwards we headed into Manteo and then the North West end over an older bridge into Mann's Harbor. The bridge is home to the Purple Martin that shows themselves in the early morning and evening. You can launch a kayak from the beach there and fish. From there we drove onto Hatteras Island over the Oregon Inlet to scope out a place to watch the full moon rise up from the ocean. Lunch was at the bar of Tortuga's Lie. Around 8PM we returned to the spot we picked and had the beach to OURSELVES, while waiting for a spectacular full moon rising that these shots just can not capture! I'll link more of the shots when we get home.

Arghhhhh!... A Trip To Pirates Cove (for fuel)

2008-07-17T22:53:00.002-04:00

The day started out so beautiful we decided it was time for our long boat trip. After adding ten gallons I picked up at TJ's we headed for Pirates Cove Marina (pictured left) to get more fuel. It is located on the north side of the bridge from Nags Head into Manteo. From there we headed to Wanchese where we had driven to a few days before.
The turn off into Wanchese is not far from the area of Oregon Inlet leading to the ocean. After cruising through Wanchese harbor we headed back and tied up in Manteo Harbor for lunch at The Hungry Pelican and then walked around a bit before returning home late in the afternoon.
Dinner was at The Colington Cafe where we shared a warm brie appetizer, caeser salads, Filet Mignon for BA, and mixed grill (Filet with Tuna) for me, mixed veggies and Garlic mashed pototoes for both of us.

Art Nouveau and Some Culture!

2008-07-16T23:19:00.003-04:00

After a light breakfast at home and some fiddling around in the backyard we ventured out for the afternoon to Corolla. Our first stop was Duck and lunch at The Blue Point.
We then headed for Corolla and a Wine Festival at The Whalehead Club.
Included in the cost of the ticket was a tour of the original restored Art Nouveau house of E.C. Wright. Pictured left is the original boathouse restored with The Currituck Lighthouse in the background. BA and I were at the lighthouse a few years ago in the fall and it is included in my lighthouse photos.
We finished off the evening with dinner at Meridian 42, a restaurant that Elliot and Marcia took us to last year, located in Southern Shores just near the beginning of the island. After a first course of tomato soup, BA enjoyed House made ravioli filed with Parmesan, Asadero, Ricotta & Mahon cheeses with Charred vine ripe tomatoes, baby spinach and Vidalia onions and I had Hand rolled fettuccini Primavera with local summer vegetables, Parmesan Grana cream sauce, shaved Manchego cheese and fresh thyme. For dessert, we shared Summer Blueberry Tart with candied mascarpone cheese filling and marsala wine syrup.

Red, White and Blue

2008-07-15T23:41:00.000-04:00

Was the program we saw at the Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo. Performed by students from The Classical Voice Of North Carolina they performed many numbers both patriotic and fun from musicals by Sondheim to old Gershwin tunes. Very"Choralier-esque"!! Pictured left was their take of "The Egg" from 1776. As you can tell the stage faces the Roanoke Sound and what was really cool, and certainly not planned, was the 3 masted sailing vessel that just happened to go by while they were performing it! I don't think they even knew it.
Earlier that day we had breakfast at Bob's "Eat and Get The Hell Out" and then FINALLY got to The Wright Brothers Memorial. After the evening concert we went to Slammin Sammy's to have a burger and watch some of the All Star Game.

Wanchese (Pronunced :"Cheesie")

2008-07-14T22:02:00.004-04:00

After breakfast at Sam and Omies a little place right on RT 12 before the bridge to Manteo, we headed out to the southern end of Roanoke to a little village called Wanchese (if you check this link you will see Collington where Elliot and Marcia's house is in relation to it) . The locals say it is pronounced like "Wan Cheesie". We will probably explore there by boat during the week. Afterwards, a leisurely afternoon at the Tanger Outlets (you always have to go there), we headed to Captain Franks for one of their famous hot dogs. A quiet evening consisted of a boat ride with BA and Penny, a round of Mini Golf at Paradise Golf (The course was not in the best condition which is probably why BA beat me by 2 stokes) and finished off with pizza and wine back at the OBX abode from a new place (for us) called Slice.

The Birds.. Starring Tippi Hendren?

2008-07-13T17:12:00.002-04:00

Here I am holding a nail for my father...(Oh wait , sorry flashback to my youth). Well as you can see things never change! I am holding a screw now for my ecologically sound brother as he puts the finishing touches on a birdhouse condo. You know, two car garage, indoor pool, all the amenities. What sophisticated bird would not want one?
I am expecting hundreds of blackbirds arriving tomorrow! Pictured to the left is Elliot, Mike and Tippi, oops I mean Marcia. BA is the photog. I taught her well!
After the finishing touches we headed out on the boat towards Oregon Inlet stopping short and returning to Manteo for a late lunch as the hour grew late. Too bad Marcia and Elliot had to leave for home.

Thoughts of this.... While Driving 9 1/2 Hours!

2008-07-12T16:59:00.003-04:00

Best laid plans, Huh? Our plan to escape Oceanport at 8AM stretched in to a 10:30 departure. We had never driven down to OBX on a Saturday before and encountered lots of stop and go traffic so by the time we arrived at El and Mar's place it was 8PM! We quickly unloaded and went out to the Outer Banks Brewing Station for dinner. BA and I had been there April of 2007 and enjoyed it.
All in all we were happy to arrive safe and sound albeit a little late!

Fireworks.."I Hardly Knew Ye"

2008-07-05T10:17:00.000-04:00

As I caught the almost empty train out of NYC Thursday evening I had the idea that when we reached South Amboy we may start to get a few extra passengers riding the train to see the Red Bank Fireworks. Yikes! A few was an understatement! By the time we reached the Red Bank station the train was filled with loud, screaming and ready to party passengers. I was happy BA and I decided to opt out of seeing them this year. Unfortunetely it is always an adventure getting home so we decided to skip them this year. With that being said I figured we'd miss seeing some until a phone call from "Ma amd Pa" Apruzzi put us on the fast track to the Atlantic Highlands Firemans Fair.
Along with Allie, Caroline and Jack we attended what was a very similar if not the same carnival as the Oceanport Lions Fair. The one major difference was the Fireworks! (Pictured left) Now, I generally do not take photos of fireworks, ( I have tried in the past) but I liked the setting along the Atlantic Highlands Marina as a backdrop so I tried it and here are some of my favorites.

Sweetwater Casino.... Sad news

2008-07-04T08:28:00.003-04:00

Heard some sad news recently I thought deserved some mention. The Sweetwater Casino, picture on left taken about a year ago from my kayak, caught fire and burned. It was a Southern Jersey institution lying quietly on the Mullica River for many years. BA and I went there for dinner once while we owned our vacation home in Mystic Island.

The Slow Food and Wine Festival

2008-06-29T17:02:00.004-04:00

Saturday afternoon we took a drive to Hopewell, NJ near Pennington to attend the 1st annual Slow Food and Wine Festival. It was held on the grounds of Hopewell Valley Vineyards with participating wineries Alba Vineyards, Cape May Winer y, Laurita Winery, and Unionville Vineyards.
There were restaurants in attendance as well selling small portions of their favorites. BA and I sampled a delicious slow cooked beef on pumpernickel (shown left) that was out of this world. A live Jazz band kept the crowd going although there is no mention in the program of who they were! Hopefully they will correct that in the future. Finally seminars and a wine tour of Hopewell Vineyards were on the schedule as well. The Hopewell tour was led by the owner, Sergio Neri, whose family have owned a vineyard in Tuscany and go back generations. The tasting room has gifts, as well, and they sell their own olive oil made by the Neri family in Italy.
We did get to taste many of the wine selections from all the vendors and came home with a few bottles we liked. Although most of them display their award winning tags the reds, from most of them, seemed a little off for me. Of course I am no expert!
The ones we liked were Cape May Winery's Isaac Smith Port, and their Pinot Grigio, Laurita Winery's 2003 Classic Chardonnay and Their Relaxing Red, Down The Shore. BA loved that one.
Alba Winery's Mainsail Chardonnay, and Unionville Winery also had a port I liked. It seemed a last minute seminar not listed on the program was given by a young man who is a certified organic farmer. I think it may have been his first lecture but he handled it well.
You can see some other shots including Sergio Neri giving the lecture while holding a wine glass that never left his hand by clicking here.

Lavallette Worlds Fair

2008-06-01T06:18:00.009-04:00

The prospect of opening a Time Capsule was intriguing so when BA asked me to come down to her school, The Lavallette Elementary School to photograph for the morning I jumped at the chance. After arriving I was taken to the beach where a fun run started from the edge of the beach going north back on to the boardwalk and south to the finish line. The day proved ominous with strong storms predicted but there seemed to be some sort of bubble around the school protecting it. After some quick shots outside I proceeded to photograph the rest of the day which included, songs, artwork, displays, a fashion show, and other things related to around the world. Finally as the day wound down I asked BA where and when is the Time capsule to be opened? "Oh we opened that during the school day in advance". "Where is it?" I asked. "In the library where you were photogr
aphing during the day". Yikes! I never even noticed it! Here are a few shots. No, the Apple Computer did not fit in the capsule!

First Bike Ride Of The Season

2008-05-26T09:35:00.006-04:00

BA and I decided it was time to get off our "@#%*$" well you get the idea! The day before we stopped at the bike shop and picked up a new Thule bike rack for the Pathfinder that connects to the hitch and will tilt down if you need access to the back. The goal was to make the trek on the Edgar Felix Bike Path that starts in Manasquan on Main Street and travels approx. 7 miles to the Allaire State Park parking lot. We decided to park in Allaire and make the round trip that way. On the way back we stopped at the Allenwood General Store for a cold drink. A very quaint place with lots of "junk" that they specifically tell you is for sale!

We also stopped on Hospital Road to see the Bull that makes it home on a farm visible from the road! We knew about this as we would pass it on our daily trips to see Jimmy at the rehab center. For a look at some shots from our biking day follow this link to the slideshow.

A Weekend at The Poconos

2008-04-06T18:16:00.003-04:00

We spent this weekend with the Apruzzi's at their abode in the Pocono's. Spending Saturday touring first, their lake front property pictured to the left, and then moving on to Castle Antiques where we purchased a few fun items, and then concluding our day with dinner at The Settlers Inn at Hawley, Pa.
We headed back to their cabin finishing up the evening with Wine, brie, then tea an muffins. Yum!

An Irish Blessings Gourmet Dinner

2008-03-15T17:59:00.001-04:00

Our gourmet group continued its' scrumptious ways with another exciting dinner. We feasted on appetizers of Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue, Irish Soda Bread and Salmon/Roast Beef Canape's an Entree of Beef and Guinness Pie with Baked Cabbage and Bacon, and a dessert of Irish Creme Chocolate Mousse Cake. View some of the photos here. More pictures to follow!

Cape May Weekend

2008-03-10T17:50:00.001-04:00

This past weekend we visited Cape May on the spur of the moment. We called a BandB on the ocean and were able to get a room at The Rythym Of The Sea. We had dinner and then listened to a few different artists performing on Songwriters Weekend. Th next morning we drove out to the lighthouse so I could snap a few quick shots. You can visit my lighthouse shots at MichaelDalberg.com

Our Wedding!

2008-02-18T17:36:00.003-05:00

Sunday February 17th 2008 was a happy and subdued day both at the same time. As BA and I celebrated Our Wedding Day at The Spring Lake Inn we also mourned the death of her brother Jimmy the night before. With the help of the Rabbi, family and friends we were able to get through and enjoy the day as we know Jimmy would have wanted.

BA's Wedding Shower

2008-02-11T17:22:00.000-05:00

Carrie Apruzzi and friends surprised BA with a shower a week before our wedding. I was even invited! Here she is shown opening up gifts with her assistant.
Kudos to Carrie and her co-horts for pulling this one off!

A "SUPER" Night!!!

2008-02-04T17:11:00.002-05:00

Well! Who would have "thunk" it! The Giants surprised pretty much everyone with a terrific Super Bowl win! This photo take by a guest photographer (sorry I have no idea who took it) depicts one happy crew and one Philly fan who got caught up in it! Now what do we do for an encore? 3 wins in 4 Super Bowl tries!!

A wonderful time with friends!

2007-12-28T07:38:00.000-05:00

After a wonderful day at The Botanical Gardens our friends Carrie and Phil took us for dinner where we celebrated our engagement!

Beauty And The Beast

2007-12-17T17:17:00.002-05:00

December 2007 proved to be an exciting month as I appeared as Maurice in the Marlboro Players production. This picture was taken by an unknown photographer but during one of the productions I stood off stage and snapped some action shots.

A Loyal Wegmans Customer

2007-10-06T10:25:00.001-04:00

After a recent trip for my morning coffee at Wegmans I noticed this loyal patron parked in a red Mazda Miata. Scrambling for my camera and realizing I did not have it I took my cell phone and snapped the shot. The "shopper" was quite photogenic. Don't you think?

A Great Birthday....A Quick Trip Home

2007-08-23T07:23:00.000-04:00

After waking up and having a cup of coffee I was surprised by BA bearing birthday gifts! A kayak cover, Jack Higgins book, Giants T shirt and best of all .... an Ipod. Unfortunately, we recieved a call from Jimmy's caretakers at the group home that he had passed out again and was taken to the hospital this time to be kept overnight. We decided the best course of action was to head straight for home. We arrived around 8:30 PM and went directly to the hospital. Jim will be undergoing some tests today to see why the fainting has been occurring.

Relaxing Is NOT Hard To Do

2007-08-22T07:55:00.001-04:00

Yesterday morning started out as quiet as the day before as we waited for the marine repairman to arrive. By 11:30 we said the hell with it and left. Elliot's trim tabs on the boat were not working and it seemed that the fluid needed to be added. We set out for West Marine and I got what I needed as BA shopped the dollar store! After lunch at Sam and Omie's we stopped quickly at Kitty Hawk Kites and then at Harris Teeter to pick up some extras for supper. Upon arriving back we saw that the marine repairman had been in to fix the boat so I picked up some extra fuel, added the fluid to the trim tabs, and off I went for a test ride. When I reached the Albemarle Sound I opened it up and found all to be ok including the trim tabs so off I went to Roanoke Island and the Town Of Manteo. After calling BA from there I cruised around before departing for home and an evening of salad, filet mignon and some sauvignon blanc.

A Day to Vegitate, Eat, and "Perchance To Dream"

2007-08-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a day to relax and get a late start. Penny enjoyed it by donning her OBX hat and going for a walk with Mike and Aunt Marcia. Later, we took off for Corolla and lunch at The Route 12 Steak and Seafood restaurant in Timbuck II shopping center. Terrific! After lunch and a little shopping we stopped at a new home construction site on the sound called Corolla Bay. Some of the home sites are built directly on the sound while some are close by. You can buy the land and have a custom home built by anyone but they can do that as well. The land on the sound was selling at $599,000 and across the street for $399,000. The model depicted in the link was selling for a mere 2.1 million ( a steal). Every room (7 bedrooms) was set up with separate baths, flat screen TV's, etc. as the house was set up as a possible rental. With 3 floors. elevator, pool, bars, and a large kitchen it would offer some happy couple a "nice" getaway. Maybe the "llc" should look into it!
Upon our arrival at "Chez Dalberg" we found Bill's Marine repair (very possibly now a member of the family) looking at Elliot's boat and telling us the prop had spun out and he could have it fixed by this morning. Dinner was at Meridian42 in Southern Shore where we dined on Onion soup (soups being a specialty) tilefish, cod and, of course, pork for BA.

Another OBX Vacation.... Already We Broke The Boat!

2007-08-20T17:31:00.000-04:00

We arrived at OBX about noonish on Sunday after spending Saturday evening at Elliot and Marcia's house in Alexandria, Va. After having a light lunch we proceeded to take the boat out for a "3 hour tour". Well, it almost turned in to that as we started to have some trouble about a 1/2 hour in to the Albemarle Sound. About 1/2 throttle the prop seemed to start to spin out so we hobbled back to "port" for a nice soft shell crab and filet mignon dinner. We are hoping to get the boat fixed so we will be able to use it during the week.

A Great Time Had By All!

2007-08-06T20:49:00.000-04:00

Well, after another wonderful vacation with "Fred and Ethel" all I can say is "Lucy, you got some 'splainin' to do! No, really we do travel well together even if water rationing is on the list. I expect if our marketing brainstorm "Ashes To Ashes" is to take hold we will have to make a few more trips to search for the "hot" sites! Our flight home was smooth as silk although we did have a little trouble getting out of the parking lot at the airport as the gate did not want to open!
If I have one word of advice on a trip taken while returning the first weekend in August..... Don't try returning home to Oceanport, stop at a bar first..... It's Haskell Day!

On Our Way To San Francisco

2007-08-05T19:58:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning was coffee and a birthday present for BA. At breakfast our hosts at the inn added a little candle in her muffin as we all sang Happy Birthday! We started the long trek back to San Francisco and after a great suggestion from Phil's brother Jimmy we stopped in Old Town Sacramento for a nice lunch before continuing on to San Francisco. After arriving at our hotel we jumped on the BART to downtown Powell street and had dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant complete with a belly dancer captured photographically by BA herself as you know who added his 2 cents (well actually a dollar) while his eyes were closed!

A Morning On The Gondola..An Evening Sunset Cruise

2007-08-04T19:35:00.000-04:00

We started our Lake Tahoe morning with a gondola ride at Heavenly Lake that provided an amazing view of almost all of Lake Tahoe. After enjoying the ride we started on a trip around the perimeter of the lake stopping at Crystal Bay on the way to the unique town of Truckee where we settled down for a lunch at an Irish pub. After lunch we continued around the rest of the lake on the eastern side on the way to Zephyr Cove and our sunset cruise on the MS Dixie.
We celebrated Carrie and Phil's anniversary and BA's birthday with dinner and dancing and watching a spectacular sunset.

Hard Saying Goodbye To Yosemite

2007-08-03T07:50:00.000-04:00

The drive yesterday through Tioga Pass gave a different perspective to Yosemite. Driving North East towards Lake Mono we were able to see Half Dome from other angles as well as stopping at some lakes and streams to get our feet wet. Toward the end of the road we stopped at Tuolomne Meadows. Photos to follow. Upon reaching Lake Mono we stopped for lunch at one of the more popular diners known as the Whoa Nellie Deli. It is supposed to have people drive from all over to eat. After a little look see at the lake we headed for an afternoon at The Bodie Ghost Town. Many of the old shacks were from the 1800's with some dating as late as early 1900's. We arrived late in the evening at The Genoa House Inn located in the Lake Tahoe area town of Genoa. Venturing up to Carson City to a casino for something to eat was a mistake for in Nevada smoking is still allowed! As you would expect we bolted for Appleby's.

Good Morning Yosemite Valley, Spectacular Sunset Glacier Point

2007-08-02T11:12:00.001-04:00

After a hearty Mexican dinner the evening before we were re-fueled for a full day at Yosemite. Starting on the valley floor we walked around while waiting for a tour to start that I highly recommend taking. There is so much to see and do here that having a guide show the top pick places is advisable. According to the guide the picture to the left is one of the the first shots taken at the age of 14 by Ansel Adams. We continued to view areas such as El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridal Veil Fall, and more. I will have links to more of my shots later. After the tour we settled down for a long drive up to Glacier Point to see the sun set.

A Sonoma morning and an evening at Yosemite

2007-08-01T12:35:00.000-04:00

After breakfast and saying goodbye to our hosts at the Glen Elly Inn (including Nuzzle the dachshund) we stopped and picked up a picnic lunch for the afternoon drive to Yosemite. We proceeded across the state and a few hours later stopped for lunch at Stanislaus Forest. We were able to get to our destination at Yosemite Rose Inn with enough time to get to the park to see the famous Tunnel View and down to the valley floor.

A Day of Vineyards and Beaches

2007-07-31T09:54:00.000-04:00

After a full breakfast we ventured out to Jack London State Park for a little morning tour. We continued on to our first winery,Benzinger where we took a tour from the vineyards, through the processing plant, the underground cellar and finally a wine tasting. Although an amateur I can usually pick out some or most of the fruits or barrel smells. Well maybe my nose was a little off but all I could pick up in most of the reds were just the black fruit smell. The wine tasted ok but that was about it. The whites proved a little better but I suppose the fun of the visit is the process you go through and we all really did enjoy it. One of the most appealing aspects of the winery is the fact that they are "green". Our next journey was to the Glen Ellen Market for a picnic lunch and we headed off to Kenwood to have our lunch in the local park. We stopped at Ledson Winery to walk around and view the beautiful landscape and buildings. They have a restaurant and hold weddings there. From there it was to River Road, running along the Russian River to The Korbel Winery where we sampled some of their champagne. Heading east to Hwy 1 we stopped first at Sonoma Coast State park where the coastline was magnificent. We headed south to Bodega Bay, a winding trip south along the coast and stopped to take many more shots. We ended the evening with dinner at The Glen Ellen Inn and enjoying our bottle of Korbel Chardonnay Champagne and raspberries before and after our dip in the hot tub.

Off To The West Coast

2007-07-30T10:43:00.000-04:00

It has been awhile since my last post. Not much has been happening on the photography front as I spent the last 8-10 weeks involved with the musical Fiddler On The Roof.
We are traveling with our friends 'Fred and Ethel" with our first stop being San Francisco and two days in the Sonoma area. "Fred "has a new Nikon D80 and it will be fun matching shots with him. Our arrival proved to be a little hairy as the flight was smooth as silk but leaving the airport with our "Thrifty" rent a car would be a nightmare. Suffice it to say I would not use them again, as after an hour of waiting for a car we did not order we were told they did not have a one for us "right now" and we should wait to be called. As the steam evaporated around our ears we sauntered down to our friendly Alamo agent Peter and were lucky enough to get a car we wanted for not much more than the original Thrifty price. After driving to Sonoma and spending the rest of the day with "Fred's" brother and sister-in-law, and a wonderful dinner at The Girl and the Fig, we finished the evening on the porch at our first Bed and Breakfast The Glenelly Inn to watch the sunset.

A Drive Home To Beat The Storm

2007-04-15T18:02:00.000-04:00

We decided to leave for Oceanport Saturday rather than visit my brother in Virginia as the prediction for a wet ride home Sunday with Penny in the car was not an inviting one. It gave us today to relax and I was able to start to work on some of the photos that can be seen here.

A Different Walk On A Boardwalk

2007-04-14T08:25:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we drove back to Corolla just before the beach to take a walk on a boardwalk that takes you out overlooking the bay at the mainland and Currituck. After the walk we drove down to Duck for some shopping and lunch at the Blue Point Cafe. We stopped on the way home for some steaks to put on the grill and I ended my day by taking a solo ride on Elliots boat first out to Manteo and then back to offshore of Kitty Hawk.

A "Veg Out" Morning... An Evening Kayak Journey

2007-04-13T08:55:00.000-04:00

Thursday was a quiet morning just hanging around and having lunch at Dirty Dick's. Afterwards we took a quiet cruise around the canals of Collington and snuck out for a few minutes into the windswept waves of the Albemarle Sound. With the weather being the most perfect of the trip we were able to head out to our 5:30 reservation for a kayak trip around Manteo on Roanoke Island. Our guide, Wes, turned out to be our exclusive guide as we were the only clients he had. BA and I were on a tandem kayak and followed Wes as he took us around the marshes near Manteo.

An Afternoon Trip On A Cloudy Day

2007-04-12T08:41:00.000-04:00

We started the day after breakfast heading west over Roanoke Island and made a loop around the Alligator River heading towards Stumpy Point a quaint fishing village located off the Pamlico Sound and looking east towards Pea Island. From there we traveled further through the Lake Landing Historical District a series of landmark 19th century homes heading towards the town of Swan Quarter. We then proceeded to Hwy 94 North which ran through Lake Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge north to Columbia and then east back to the Outer Banks.

Riding The Dunes In Carova

2007-04-11T08:45:00.000-04:00

After awaking Tuesday morning with no major plans for the day I saw an ad for Beach Jeeps Of Corolla where you rented a Jeep to go to the North beaches of the Outer Banks. They have the route on a map planned for you and when you reach the end of the paved Route 12 in Corolla you proceed on the beach( 4 wheel drive only) and you can actually ride up as far as the Virginia border. There are communities such as Swan Beach and the canals of Carova Beach. When you reach a milepost such as Carova you swing a left and zoom up over the dune roads and onto sandy "roads" that have small as well as large homes many on canals and Spanish ponies that unfortunately we were not able to see. I rented a 5 speed that made the trip that much more exciting for me.

Outer Banks and Kite Flying.. What Could Be Better

2007-04-10T09:43:00.000-04:00

Arriving at the Outer Banks Sunday afternoon after a relaxing 8 hour drive from New Jersey we found Elliot's boat was on the lift out back just as we hoped. Dinner was at The Brewing Station. The next morning after breakfast at a cute little place in Nag's Head called Sam and Omie's we proceeded to Kitty Hawk Kites and purchased an easy looking kite to take across to the dunes. The weather, cool and crisp, served as a great backdrop and the view across to Manteo made the morning. As the sales clerk said "there is no better place to fly a kite" When we returned to the house I put the boat in the water, put up the canvas and BA and I took a little cruise out in the lagoon. Finishing up the day at the Collington Cafe made our first day in OBX complete

Scenes Of A Cold April Day

2007-04-06T09:37:00.000-04:00

Taking a ride along the coast north towards Sandy Hook has yielded many shots in the past but a few of these stood out as interesting. The one to the left was taken in Oceanport at a little out of the way beach with a Nikon D70 in Programmed Auto with a 18-70mm "kit" lens at 18mm. The color out of the camera was not bad but I decided to try a free program that has been out for awhile called Nikon View and played with the raw photo and was pleasantly surprised to see the results. A few more can be seen here.

Havre De Grace and the Amtrak Train

2007-03-31T06:52:00.000-04:00

After delivering a chair to my brother in Aberdeen, Maryland last Sunday BA and I decided to stop in Havre De Grace to take a few shots of the Amtrak train and the line that runs parallel to the interstate and over the Susquehanna. I took these shots on a tripod with the D70 and the 18-70mm kit lens. They were shot in Program but I set the first at F9 and the second at F10 and both were a little overexposed so I ran them through Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 which helped a bit. When I recieved the D70 back from Nikon all the settings were set back to default. I normally keep the colors set to vivid but failed to do this in this shoot so the colors seemed a little washed as well. Adobe did help boost the color.

Kayaking The Mullica River.... With a Nikon S1

2007-03-30T14:57:00.000-04:00

Spending an early spring morning on your kayak is a relaxing experience. Doing it on a virtually empty Mullica River is even better. Carrying the Nikon D70 was not an option so I took BA's Nikon S1 and took some of these. As the wind whipped up I was able to snap the Batsto area as well as pictures of the Sweetwater Casino.
Check out my Kayaking the Mullica page for the rest of the shots I took that morning.

Tis the luck of the Irish, and everyone else

2007-03-19T08:10:00.000-04:00

Saturday was St.Patricks day and BA made her famous corned beef and cabbage. We enjoyed it with a few of our good friends and even got Curt to try it!

Return of the D70!

2007-03-17T14:15:00.000-04:00

Nikon has really impressed me. I sent in my D70 about ten days ago for repair of the dreaded BGLOD (big green light of death) issue and it arrived yesterday repaired, the ccd cleaned, and the firmware updated. I ran off a few shots and everything seems fine. I will take the camera out tomorow and see how it goes. No charge except for the fee I paid UPS to send it to them. They continue to stand by this issue even after two years.

BGLOD

2007-02-27T10:11:00.000-05:00

Well it happened. I was ready to use my D70 for a shoot at rehearsal for Camelot (presented by Phoenix Productions at the Count Basie Theater opening this weekend) when the infamous green light started to blink. Mine was one of the early production cameras so it should be covered under the warranty from Nikon. I will post when I recieve the body returned and repaired.

A Shoot At The Grounds For Sculpture

2006-08-07T07:07:00.000-04:00

Just finished a shoot at the Grounds For Sculpture in New Jersey. Photos can be viewed by visiting Michael Dalberg Photography and clicking sculpture. Here are just a few shots that I took that day.

Seattle Here We Come

2005-07-08T18:35:00.000-04:00

Leaving Sunday AM for a week to the Seattle area specifically the "Cascade Loop"..
We will stop at a number of different areas with what I hope will be some photo ops!
Towards the end of the week we will hit Whidbey Island where I hope to go sea kayaking to whale watch.

Return Of The 18-70MM!

2005-07-01T18:19:00.000-04:00

I just recieved my 18-70mm lens back from Ritz Camera. I have the extended warranty and I must say the service was better than I expected. Ritz sends their work to Comet Camera (not crazy about that) but Comet sent it to Nikon for the repair. The reason for the return was the autofocus at 18mm would not lock and I would have to zoom in a bit, or, manually shoot to take the picture.
It was returned to me in under three weeks and Nikon fixed or adjusted the focusing and cleaned it. So far the lens works just Fine. Just in time for our trip to Seattle.

Another Test with The Nikon 28-200 Lens

2005-06-19T08:11:00.000-04:00

Last evening I took some shots as a test with my new Nikon 28-200 lens. One of my favorites was this picture of Penny.

(who, of course is extremely photogenic). It was cropped and corrected a bit in Nikon Capture. This is a great lens! Very lightweight and focuses well.
This morning I cleaned the CCD with Pec Pad and Eclipse. A product I ordered after reading the positive reviews on Photo.net. I had some dirt that was showing up and it cleaned it off just fine.

Nikon 28-200 f/3.5-5.6G

2005-06-18T07:53:00.000-04:00

Last night I recieved my new Nikon 28-200 lens to add to my D70 kit and went right out to shoot! I must say the focus distance of under 2 feet is very good.
I imagine I will keep this lens on most of the time while on vacation. I had returned a used 28- 200 older type Nikon lens which was much heavier to KEH.COM as they have a 14 day return policy for used or new.
I will continue to post and pop up a few more pictures

Nikon D70

2005-06-17T10:38:00.000-04:00

I have created this blog to keep a record of my experiences with the Nikon D70 Camera.
I started amateur photography during high school in the late 60's using a Graflex Spped Graphic camera(if I remember correctly). Over the years I moved to the traditional Canon bodies (AE-1 Program and T70) but the last few years ventured into digital with some point and shoots until finally deciding to take the "plunge" into digital slrs. After doing some light research I chose the Nikon D70 over my first choice the Canon Rebel. Both cameras would have suited my amateur tastes but I chose the Nikon after seeing how versatile the lenses would be, the battery life, as well as the amount of shots held in the buffer.
I have since taken this camera with the 18-70MM kit lens and a Nikon 70-300 G lens to Arizona, and San Diego for some fun shots. Recently I had to return the kit lens to Nikon for repair as the autofocus would not lock at the widest (18MM). I am waiting for its return as I write this. I also own a Nikon 50mM 1.8 prime purchased used on Ebay and am having delivered today a Nikon 28-200MM from KEH Photo.

I will put the results of the repair of the 18-70MM lens in a future post.
You can see some of my photos atMichael Dalberg.com.
All were shot with the D70 except the Ireland photos.