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AN IDENTITY ALL ITS OWN

Annexed into Milwaukee in 1887, the neighborhood — today roughly sandwiched between downtown/the Kinnickinnic River to the north, the city of St. Francis to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, and the Kinnickinnic River/I-43 to the west —throughout its history has proudly clung to its own social network and eclectic identity.

First permanently settled in 1834, it became a company town after millionaire Detroit industrialist Eber Brock Ward purchased 114 acres in the northeast corner of the community, setting aside 27 acres for a large iron mill and more than 76 acres for residential lots under the name “Village of Bay View.” Ward encouraged employees to purchase residential lots and build their own houses. The “Polish cottages” the mill workers constructed there became the village center, and residents still live in many of these cottages today.

In the ensuing years, various ethnic waves would infuse Bay View with different cultures and traditions that it absorbed into its own identity. When the German immigrants began to arrive in the 1840s, they brought with them their passion for the art of beer brewing. As few American workers knew the vagaries of the steel industry at the time, the rolling mill recruited help from England, Scotland, and Ireland. They built the rows of modest frame bungalows near the lake. German-American merchants and small businessmen would later build Queen Anne style homes near Kinnickinnic. Shortly before World War I, Italian immigrants formed a community near the rolling plant complex.

The resulting community stood somewhat apart from the growing city that absorbed it long after the last vestiges of its steel business faded and the complex was razed in the 1950s. “Bay View has always had a stubborn sense of individuality within Milwaukee,” writes historian John Gurda, who has been called the living memory of Milwaukee, in Bay View, Wis. (1979).

The separate communal identity that Bay View forged remains strong today.

According to city-data.com, Bay View’s principal ancestry pools include German (30.1 percent), Norwegian (14.7 percent), English (14.5 percent), Swedish (11.4 percent), Polish (10.6 percent), and Irish (8.4 percent). The median resident age is 44 years, higher than the Wisconsin median of 36. The January 2011 cost of living index was 88.6, below the national average of 100.

There are several ways to become immersed in Bay View’s psyche. The Bay View Historical Society, located in the former home of an early social leader, maintains an archive and holds various functions and events throughout the year.

For other insights into the current local culture, a visitor need only stop by the community information table at the Farmers Market or one of the many corner taverns that dot the landscape.

The City of Milwaukee printed a self-guided Bay View Historical Buildings Tour in 1995 that provides an illuminating introduction to the community’s rich history.

The short driving tour helps explain the importance of the rather plain 1872-built Puddlers Hall (the term “puddler” referred to individuals who worked at the steel mill and were responsible for determining when iron or steel was ready to be poured into puddles and then, from puddles into the various forms such as rails, nails, etc.) that served as meeting hall for the skilled workers of the Milwaukee Iron Company. The hall was at the heart of the original village (it has had various roles as a tavern and residence over the years but new investors recently reopened it as a tavern). The meandering route also includes community fixtures such as the family-run Giocondo Groppi Market, founded in 1913 to cater to the Italian community that once surrounded it and still providing excellent homemade Italian sausages and other specialty foods.

A NEW GENERATION

Amid the passing Market patrons, thirty-seven-year-old Zac Williams, who operates a communication-consulting firm out of his home, stands nearby with his Great Pyrenees dog, Sheba, leashed at his side. Williams and his wife, Katie, represent the newest iteration of Bay View resident — young, and involved. He has served on the board of the Bay View Historical Society and she is active in the Farmers Market and a South Shore support organization called Park Watch.

Williams moved to Milwaukee in 2002, relocating to Bay View a year later, attracted to “its location on the lake, and the sense of history and community” in the neighborhood.

“One thing we really like about Bay View is how friendly and open people are here,” he says. “We walk our dog a couple times of day. We constantly stop and talk with our neighbors along the way. When we had a really heavy snow last year, 20 or 30 people in our neighborhood got out and helped each other shovel walks, clear driveways, and dig out garages and the alley. And it’s because of the sense of community, and because we know each other well, that we were able to do that.”

A typical Saturday for Zac and Katie starts at the Farmers Market in the summer and fall. “We’ll visit a coffee shop in the morning, and later in the day eat at a Bay View restaurant with friends,” he says. Sometimes on Saturdays or Sundays you might find him at the Highbury Pub, a soccer-watching neighborhood watering hole on Kinnickinnic near Lincoln Avenue.

He is encouraged that more businesses and restaurants have opened in the past few years, most especially retail establishments that are thriving and giving Bay View a more mixed economy.

“Kinnickinnic reminds me of many a Main Street in a small- or medium-size town anywhere in the U.S.,” he says. “Even though we are a part of and neighbors of Milwaukee, “KK” is part of the heart and soul of our community — not only because it runs right down the middle of Bay View but it is also where a lot of the energy is.”

KK, as locals call it, doesn’t run straight at all, nor do many of the streets here. The crooked central Bay View avenue emerged from original Native American paths; other streets were later constructed along creeks and waterways (the waters still run beneath them). What you get is a crosshatched pattern of roadways running from the lakefront that can be confusing to newcomers.

INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS

Kinnickinnic is its heartbeat, however, and its energy is most evident in the 2600 block.

“This is the most interesting block on the avenue,” Dan Dehling says from behind the counter of Bill Frickensmith’s Bay View Books & Music.

The 22-year-old Milwaukee enterprise moved into this space, which from 1888 to 1914 housed Milwaukee’s first neighborhood library, in 2009. Its neighbors include a boutique, a smoke shop, a vintage clothes and accessories store, a Chinese food store, and the Hi-Fi Café.

Dehling, who Frickensmith says has “been selling things since he was five years old,” notes that periodically Bay View is touted as “the next East Side,” but that doesn’t ring true to him. (The East Side is the long-gentrified neighborhood that stretches from downtown north to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus.)

Ironically, local historian Gurda noted in his 1979 book that Bay View was experiencing an “exodus of the old guard” with new families moving in, and mentioned that Bay View was being talked about as the new East Side.

“People are always saying that Bay View is becoming the next East Side, but I don’t think that’s the case,” Zak Williams says. “Bay View has such a strong identity and sense of history that it’s not going to become the new East Side. A lot of people are moving to Bay View who used to live on the East Side or want to live there but they meld into what Bay View is now. The East Side is apartments and large houses; that’s not what Bay View is — it’s bungalows, Victorians, and craftsman houses. It’s never going to be the same.”

In a bungalow not far from the South Shore on a mid-October evening, Lil’ Rev, a Midwestern traveling musician and storyteller and the director and founder of the Milwaukee Ukulele Festival, welcomes a small band of individuals to a strumming workshop.

The Milwaukee Ukulele Club, started by eight folks meeting in a Bay View residence in 2008, today has more than 65 members. The group meets throughout Bay View, sometimes at South Shore Park or perhaps on the Café Centraal patio. Lil’Rev is group director, but he’s quick to point out that the club operates as a democracy.

“Ninety-eight percent of the group are amateur musicians,” he told the local newspaper, The Bay View Compass, late last year. “It’s a hobby for most of them. It’s also a therapy for many of them — the ukulele is a real, happy-go-lucky, fun instrument.”

Tonight, Lil’ Rev’s friend, Dan Scanlan, is traveling from his home in California to Washington, passing through Milwaukee to give an impromptu ukulele session in a private home. Scanlan is a ukulele master, Lil’ Rev says, and he soon shows it.

Scanlon is a true devotee. From his viewpoint, the uke can be cradled like a baby, can sing like a bird, is small enough to emanate large and absorb and expand the subtle emotion the player feels.

“It’s here now and there then,” says Scanlan, whose nickname is Cool Hand Uke.

Dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops, he cradles a ukulele made from the head of a banjo and looks out on his audience, sitting in mix-matched chairs and using music stands. Scanlan takes experienced players and newbies alike through the thumb strum, the trill and the pinch stroke, mixing in stories of his life, playing several original works and leading everyone in a rousing version of Woody Guthrie’s “This Train Is Bound for Glory.”

At the end of the evening, everyone heads home, inspired to pinch and strum the heart out of those four little strings. The experience is just another glimpse into the community’s eclectic heart.

STAYING TRUE TO ITS ROOTS

A week later, a large crowd swarms the Farmers Market on its chilled, bright, last Saturday of the year. A late-autumn leaf turn is injecting splays of yellow across the park. The small Bay View High School Redcat band, in full scarlet-and-black uniforms, serenades visitors. Sadness over the Market’s annual hibernation mixes with the community joy it provides.

John Miller, a senior at Wisconsin Lutheran High School, stands behind a small table playing “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” — apropos for this windy morning — on his busker organ, a “monkey” grinder about the size of a bread-making machine built by Orgelbau Stüber in Berlin, Germany. Milller, who says he is a “Lutheran church organist, organ improvisationist, music arranger, and an aspiring organ builder,” was first allowed to crank a street organ at a Circus Parade in Milwaukee when he was three.

No monkey, as Milwaukee law forbids it. Miller says he wouldn’t have one anyway —they take too much care and he'd rather put that care into the organ, which demands constant maintenance.

He hopes to become an organ builder, possibly after an apprenticeship in Germany. In the meantime, he offers organ-grinding services for all occasions.

He seems a fitting sight on this breezy, beautiful autumn day.

“People always talk about how Bay View is becoming younger, and more hip and trendy,” Zak Williams says. “I see that to some extent, but I also see that it is still keeping that sense of that old, blue-collar Milwaukee neighborhood as well. It still maintains that Bay View feel that it’s had for more than 100 years.”

Writer Michelle Medley contributed to this story.

THE BASICS

All phone numbers are 414 area code.

TO STAY

Although there’s been talk of developing a boutique hotel within the Bay View community, no commercial lodging currently exists. Milwaukee boasts a full complement of hotels and a few bed-and-breakfasts, however. For more information, visit www.visitmilwaukee.org.

TO PLAY

South Shore Park, part of the Milwaukee County Park System. South Shore Park features the Oak Leaf Trail, a softball diamond, horseshoe and volleyball courts, and a pavilion overlooking the swimming beach and the marina at the South Shore Yacht Club.

Humboldt Park, one of the first parks in the city, opened in 1891 and features fishing, softball, tennis, a band shell, and ice skating and hockey.

TO EAT AND DRINK

At Random, 2501 S. Delaware Ave, 481-8030. Dim lighting, red Christmas lights, and vinyl booths punctuate this over-the-top night spot. Waitresses skew older, and often dispense the specialty-drinks-only offerings with personal instruction. An old-school step into the twilight zone.

Barnacle Bud's, 1955 S. Hilbert St., www.barnacle-buds.com, 481-9974. This casual spot isn’t the easiest place to find on the riverfront between Bay View and downtown but it is worth the effort for the food (try the crab cake sandwich) and local color. Open from the last day in February until the end of October.

G. Groppi Food Market, 1441 East Russell Avenue, www.ggroppifoodmarket.com, 747-9012. John and Anne Nehring own this charming neighborhood grocery, with its great takeout deli and rich Bay View history. A half-portion of Groppi’s deli specialty, panini (double-digit options, but check out the prosciutto with Gouda) is a meal in itself.

Hector’s A Family Restaurant, 3040 S. Delaware Ave., http://www.hectors.com, 755-7870. An extremely broad menu of dishes ranging from Tex-Mex traditionals to regional fare from the Mexican interior.

The Highbury Pub, 2322 S Kinnickinnic Ave., www.thehighbury.com, 294-4400. Soccer bar by day, watering hole after work, music venue by night.

Honeypie Bakery and Cafe, 2643 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., www.honeypiecafe.com, 489- 7437. "Mid-Western" inspired food from scratch. The mammoth Honeypie Bloody Mary (special Honeypie bloody Mary mix, vodka, garnished with cheese, olives, and pickled veggies — think asparagus and brussels sprouts — and sausage) is something to behold.

Landmark Family Restaurant, 3451 S Kinnickinnic Ave., 481-1300. A true local diner on the edge of the City of St. Francis that caters to a loyal local customer base.

Lulu Café, 2265 South Howell Avenue, www.lulubayview.com, 294-5858. Turn-of-the-century building, exposed ceiling funk, with ambitious menu and young vibe. Ask for blue cheese sauce with in-house-made chips.

Omega Paul’s Family Restaurant, 3473 S 27th St., www.omegaon27.com, 645-6595. Long-time patrons grouse that the voluminous menu and breakfast portions aren’t as stout as in the past but the Southgate Greek diner still puts out a good meal at a good price.

Pastiche Bistro, 3001 S Kinnickinnic Ave., www.pastichebistro.com. This robust 10-table restaurant just added an upstairs wine-tasting and takeout area, as well as 20-person private dining room, but reservations are recommended. Traditional French Bistro dishes prepared whenever possible from locally sourced ingredients.

Three Brothers Restaurant, 2414 St. Clair St., 481-7530. Informal, European atmosphere, home-cooked Serbian food that has gained attention of Zagat and Gourmet magazine.

Wild Flour Bakery, 22 East Lincoln Avenue, www. wildflour.net, 727-8145. European breads prepared without any fats/oils, sugar, eggs, dairy, or preservatives. Sandwiches.

OTHER INTERESTING STUFF

Bay View Books & Music, 2653 S Kinnickinnic Ave., 489-7601. This eclectic mix of used books, music, and movies hosts in-store music performances.

Bay View Historical Society, on the corner of South Superior Street and East Pryor Avenue, www.bayviewhistoricalsociety.org, 482-9300. Publishes a newsletter, presents bimonthly programs, maintains community archives and research collections.

Luv UnLimited, 2649 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., www.luvunlimited.com, 744-2540. This trading company, a hodgepodge of super-crafty, creative-and-usable stuff, buys some of it from the public for cash or in-store credit. Local artists offer pieces on consignment.

South Shore Farmers Market, South Shore Park. Locally grown produce and other items, a town square atmosphere. Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon mid-June to mid-October.

The South Shore Frolic, typically held the second weekend of July, is one of the oldest annual festivals in Milwaukee. The free, three-day event includes food, beer, live music, a classic auto show, games for children, a movie on the beach, an art show, a Friday fish fry, a parade on Saturday and fireworks each night.

The annual Bay View Bash, the proceeds of which go back into local organizations, is a volunteer-run September festival of food, dance, and shopping along Kinnickinnic Avenue. http://www.bayviewbash.org.

From modest beginnings in 1913, the South Shore Yacht Club has grown to be one of the largest yacht clubs in Wisconsin. Its Queen’s Cup race is the high point of the South Shore Yacht Club sailing season. The night race is traditionally held at the end of June. The Cup itself is one of the oldest known cups in world yachting. http://www.ssyc.org.

JUST SO YOU KNOW

The Custard Debate: Milwaukee dairyland denizens love their frozen custard, and the city has two heavyweights. Leon's Frozen Custard, on Milwaukee's south side at 27th Street and Oklahoma Ave., has been family-run since 1942. Kopp’s Frozen Custard, founded in 1950, has three Milwaukee-area locations. “Leon’s has the history but Kopp’s has the flavor,” Bay View’s Zak Williams says.

At the heart of the original village, the 1872-built Puddlers Hall served as a meeting hall for the skilled workers of the Milwaukee Iron Co. Since the late 1880s, it has served various roles as a tavern and residences.

Both the larger Bay View homes and small cottages afford a porch community feel.

Kinnickinnic Avenue, the main street in Bay View, was originally constructed along the crooked course of an old Indian trail. Parts of the Immaculate Conception Roman Church date back to 1907.

Once a Schlitz Brewing Co. tavern and since 1958 operating as the Serbian restaurant Three Brothers, this 1897 National Register structure maintains one of the last Schlitz belted globes of its kind in the U.S.

The 2600 block of Kinnickinnic, whose name derives from the bark of a tree that grew locally and provided smoking material for the pipes of original Native American inhabitants, is an eclectic mix of retail interests.

The Giocondo Groppi Market, founded in 1913, catered to the Italian community that once surrounded it. Today, it is still known for its homemade Italian sausages and other specialty foods.

The Grand Centraal, a European-style bistro

The Hi-Fi Café is an arty hipster coffee shop on Kinnickinnic Avenue that features work from new artists each month.

The Milwaukee area is frozen custard heaven. Leon's has history on its side but insiders say that Kopp's has the best flavor.

The Milwaukee Art Museum's Quadracci Pavilion is a sculptural, postmodern addition designed by Santiago Calatrava. Its 217-foot sunscreen is supposed to fold and unfold twice daily, but has been out of commission.

Wild Flour Bakery owner Dolly Mertens, one of the co-founders of the South Shore Farmers' Market, talks to a customer early on an October morning.

CHRISTMAS AT THE FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK

The first in a Natural Traveler Series on the Great Hotels of the World

By James Rosenthal

Hanna-Leena Sorri, Fairmont Gold Supervisor and Concierge at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, presides over what is the best Gold Club level of service in North America. The “Gold Floor” at the Royal York offers the most delicious breakfast at any hotel in the world right now, with an exquisite eggs benedict that has the perfect balance of rich, bold flavors from the hollandaise blended with the Canadian bacon and perfectly cooked local fresh poached eggs.

In this first installment of an occasional series on the great hotels of the world, we present a look into Christmas at the Royal York, where you can walk to a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game in 5 minutes, do your Christmas shopping at the finest stores in Toronto (many are in the hotel!), or walk to the main Via Rail station in Toronto (across the street).

My take on how cool it is to stay at the Royal York is defined by the excellence of its Gold Service, with its ample food and beverage offerings at breakfast and in the evening. This service-minded hotel maintains the “Old World” charm of the classic Canadian Pacific chain that pre-dated the Fairmont management. In every element of the York experience you will feel the luxury and comfort of elegant furnishings and architecture, while enjoying the food and wine in one the best restaurants in metro Toronto.

Epic Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and boasts fresh, local, sustainable produce cooked in simple, and yet technically excellent, dishes. Tim Palmer, Epic Restaurant Chef, has cooked all over the world and is a wizard at showcasing bright, balanced flavors and myriad textures on locally sourced dishes. My favorites include the Fun Guy Farms Exotic Mushroom Chowder (the added fat of the duck confit is genius); Locally Smoked Salmon with Local Watercress, Aged Balsamic, Fennel, Avocado and Dill-Aquavit-infused Crème Fraiche; and the Spring Creek Ranch Beef Tenderloin served with Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes, Local Heirloom Carrots, Fun Guy Farms Glazed Mushrooms and an exquisite Red Wine Jus.

The highlight of Epic is its superb selection of Ontario wines at decent prices. Jimson Bienenstock, one of the leading experts on the wines of Ontario and Director of Outlets at Fairmont, shares his four top choices for local offerings at the Epic.

The Bienenstock Top Four List (all prices in Canadian Dollars)

PINOT GRIGIO glass $12/bottle $49

2010 Crush Niagara, Ontario

Bienenstock: “Crisp and refreshing local Pinot Grigio in an easy-going style with bright notes of almonds, pearskin and yellow fruits. Good with light appetizers or for going the distance after dinner.”

BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY glass $11/bottle $44

2008 Chateau des Charmes, Niagara, Ontario

Bienenstock: “From one of our favorite local wineries. This is a rich wine with a creamy, buttery texture and toasty melon, tropical fruit and pear flavors. Perfect with fish and shellfish with a creamy sauce.”

RIESLING glass $12/bottle $54

2009 Tawse Winery, Echos, Niagara, Ontario

Bienenstock: “Winery of the Year at the 2010 and 2011 Canadian Wine Awards and it is organically farmed. Winemaker Paul Pender describes it, “fresh, crisp grapefruit on the nose, citrus minerality and fresh acidity on the palate, and a lingering, pleasing finish of citrus. This Riesling works best for complicated pairings—spice and bitter balsamic type flavors such as a beetroot salad, tomato balsamic salad, something spicy like wasabi or even a chicken curry.”

VIOGNIER bottle $59

2008 Alvento, Viognier, Niagara

Bienenstock: “Reminiscent of summer in Provence, this is a dry crisp wine with seductive floral peach and exotic fruit aromas. Balanced and elegant, it is very fresh with a lingering touch of apricot. This wine works well with goat cheese (like our exclusive Empire 1929) and light seafood dishes without cream sauces.”

IF YOU GO

THE FAIRMONT ROYAL YORK

100 Front Street W

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1-866-540-4489 (toll free)

P: 416-368-2511

F: 416-368-9040

www.fairmont.com

EPIC dining room

EPIC Chef Palmer

Overwhelmed By Tokyo’s Dense City Life?

Then Get Out Of Town: Great Hiking and Small Towns Are Easily Accessible In Neighboring Prefectures

By Steve Bergsman

Photos by the Author

Here’s the most boring way to begin a travel story: Japanese states are called prefectures.

If you’re wondering why I would begin this tale about my visit to Japan with this basic fact (technically, a prefecture is a governmental body larger than a city and Japan counts 47), it’s because tourists, especially those coming to Tokyo, don’t go beyond the big buildings, shopping meccas and fine restaurants to discover the nearby countryside.

So, the next time you come to Tokyo for a business meeting or are on a canned tour, try to stop and smell the kikus (chrysanthemums) in the nearby prefectures of Saitama, just to the north of Tokyo (about an hour ride by train or car), or Chiba, on the eastern shore of the great Tokyo Bay.

As huge as Tokyo is, some 22 million people in the metro area, the rugged topography of the central country redirects the sprawl and as you roll into Saitama, the green spaces on the crags and valleys begin to dominate. Saitama and Chiba are not without population centers (Narita Airport is located in Chiba), but in some regards the two are also heavily rural with deep forested mountains -- and in the case of Chiba, an extraordinarily picturesque coastline, as it is mostly a peninsula with Tokyo Bay to the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east.

I’m going to start this tale in the rugged Saitama prefecture and specifically in the city of Kawagoe.

As I’m writing this story I’m peering at a brochure describing Kawagoe as the city where time stands still, which is good advertising copy for a town that cherishes and retains its history. When you walk around Kawagoe, you get a sense of what the old Japanese towns must have looked liked before modernization in the 20^th century.

There’s a lot to see here and the best and sometimes inadvertently humorous way to do it is with the help of the volunteer guides, easily distinguished because of their uniforms: a bright red blazer and a squishy-brimmed, off-white, Tilly-type hat that looks like it was taken to task by the last shogun.

My volunteer was a retired English teacher from the local high school who spoke a form of English quite unknown to me. Quite often I couldn’t tell if he was speaking English, Japanese or Japenglish. But that was OK, because he was a lively fellow bristling with enthusiasm, who, if I looked confused, would send me to his syllabus, a one-page printout on lime green paper that had all the historical talking points. Unfortunately, it was done in English and Japanese, fanciful upper case and lower case, capricious bold and non-bold and in fonts galore, thus making it almost as hard to read as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

My guide’s first stop, as are all tours in Kawagoe (which, I should add, is also known as Little Edo, the latter word being the older name of Tokyo city) is Kitain Temple. The history of all these Central Japan Buddhist temples/Shinto shrines are always picturesque and confusing, this one dating back to 830 AD.

What makes the Kitain Temple different from all the rest and historically significant is that when a fire in 1638 destroyed most of Kitain, the Third Shogun Lemitsu ordered several buildings to be moved from Edo Castle (now the site of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo) to Kawagoe. These buildings are all that remains of Edo Castle and are great examples of historic Japanese architecture.

The other must-see site within the temple grounds is the garden of 500 Rakan, a historic grouping of not 500 but 540 statues representing the disciples of Buddha. These haunting little stone people, carved over a 43-year period starting in 1782, with weathered and moss-adorned visages, are scary and enchanting at the same time.

No two statues are alike and according to legend, as was explained to me (I think!) by my guide, if you visit the statues in the dead of night you would find one that is warm. Mark it, come back during the day, and you will see it is the statute most resembling yourself. I didn’t return.

There are many historical sites and interesting stores in Kawagoe, all of which make it a fascinating place to stroll about, but before I leave here, just two mentions, both oddly epicurean. If you’re walking about, try to find the Ameya Yokocho, also known as the Lane of Candies, a narrow winding pavement of many candy shops, selling sweets that you don’t see often, if at all, in the United States. Secondly, take a meal at the Imozen’s Special Banqueting House To-Sen, where almost everything is made from sweet potatoes, including the alcoholic drinks.

If it appears I’m rushing you out of Kawagoe, it’s just that before you leave Saitama prefecture you need to make time for one of the more exciting experiences in your Tokyo metro tour.

While a river doesn’t necessarily run through it, Kawagoe was established near the banks of the Arakawa River, which had never been channelized over the centuries, at least not near Kawagoe, because it runs through a series of rugged gorges. About five minutes outside town, a local road drops down to a large sand bank where you can find the river runners, all of whom will be happy to entice you into their boats so you can float downstream and shoot the gorges.

Now, here’s what makes it interesting. Instead of using Zodiacs or some other form of modern river craft, the boats, which seat about 20 people, are wooden in the traditional manner. A helmsman in the back and pole-bearing guide in the front are the only professionals on board. There are no oars or motors. Once the boat hits the rapids, the difference between you getting through the gorges or not entirely depends on the skills of these two men, who are armed with nothing more than a tiller and long poles.

This isn’t quite like running the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon as the boat ride seems to take no more than 20 minutes, and when it’s over, you land at the rocky banks of Nagatoro, a small town with a traditional shopping street.

That’s one option within an hour’s ride of Tokyo, but if coastal affairs are more your fancy, then head east across Tokyo Bay to the Chiba prefecture.

The ride eastward is quite fascinating because to cross Tokyo Bay, you take the Aqua-Line, a combination tunnel and bridge – and about halfway across this engineering feat, there’s a service plaza, Umi-Hotaru, where everyone stops to take in the views of Tokyo and Yokohama in the far distance (also to eat and visit the toilet).

In ancient times, Buddhist monks often would establish themselves within natural areas, such as a mountaintop, where they believed they could better practice the teachings of Buddha, so it’s not uncommon to find temples/shrines located on formerly remote crests that in earlier centuries must have been difficult to attain.

One of the great spiritual mountains, and home to Japan’s largest Great Buddha statue, is Mount Nakogiri-Yama in southeastern Chiba, off the Tokyo Bay coastal Road. This is an only-in-Japan type location that is both a great hike through mountain forest and a place to experience the spiritual side of the country, because not only is there the Great Buddha, but in an old quarry another visage of Buddha has been carved and along one route you will pass 1,500 Rakans (small statues), many of which were beheaded when the Japanese state split Buddhism from Shintoism.

The walk is fairly easy and much of it has paved paths or steps, but you will need to take a breath once you get to the summit, from which you can see both Tokyo Bay and the Pacific.

I’m a great fan of ancient Japanese print art, which in my mind was the forerunner to modern day comic books, as the line and color drawings can be dramatic, horrific and/or X-rated. Today’s graphic comics hold nothing on these ancient Japanese woodblock prints. If you find yourself along the southern coast of Chiba, do yourself a favor and take the time to visit the Hishikawa Moronobu Memorial Museum, dedicated to one of Japan’s woodblock masters, Hishikawa, who pioneered the illustration of story text, guide books and graphic erotica – a man of many talents.

Finally, most people just pass through Narita Airport on the way into or out of Japan. However, if you find yourself with an extensive layover, place your bags in airport storage and spend the day visiting the tremendous Narita-san Shinshoji Temple complex, wandering old town Narita, and eating lunch at one of the town’s many restaurants. I had a splendid meal at Kikuya in the old town, a restaurant that specialized in cooked eels. I was told by the woman impresario of this centuries-old establishment that when Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise were laid over at Narita Airport, they asked for take-out from this restaurant.

Speaking of celebrities, when John Lennon and Yoko Ono returned to Yoko’s home country, they would occasionally seek sanctuary in a small hotel in the town of Karuizawa, a picturesque, mountain community (about 3,000 feet above sea level) in the Nagano prefecture.

If the name sounds familiar, Nagano was the venue for the 1998 Winter Olympics. Although a little further afield than Chiba and Saitama, it’s only a little over an hour ride on the bullet train from Tokyo Station.

I was lucky enough to have arrived in Karuizawa in the autumn, with the leaves rapidly changing from greens to bright reds, oranges and yellows. The air was crisp and winter was coming quickly. I enjoyed it all from my perch sitting naked in a outdoor Japanese bath with about a half dozen other men, all of us with wet towels draped over our heads. Why do this? I don’t really know but I didn’t want to look out of place, or truly Gaijin, with my fellow bathers.

This was one of the many pleasures of staying on the Hoshinoya Resort in Karuizawa, which somehow managed to combine the traditional ryokan, or Japanese inn, and the modern hotel worlds and make it work. Although, I’m not a gastronome, the Hoshinoya’s extensive property in Karuizawa was also home to my favorite restaurant in Japan, Yukawatan Bleston Court, which was also something of a mash-up, French and Japanese high cuisine.

If you get tired of bathing, relaxing and supping, extensive hiking trails snake through the surrounding mountains. Just watch out for the true natives of the region, diminutive black bears and flying squirrels.

If You Go:

Getting There: Traveling to Japan is relatively easy as there are direct flights from both the east and west coasts of United States. I took a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Narita, returning from Narita through San Francisco. An express train, which I took on previous visits, runs from Narita to Tokyo Station. This time I used shuttle buses. www.united.com

Where to Stay (Tokyo): Due to the nature of my visit, I moved around a lot during my eight days in Japan. In Tokyo, I stayed at the Keio Plaza Hotel in the intense office building area of the city called Shinjuku (www.keioplaza.com); at the Sukeroku No Yado Sadachiyo, a traditional Japanese inn (www.sadchiyo.co.jp); and the Park Hyatt Tokyo, the upscale, high-rise hotel made famous by the Bill Murray/Scarlet Johansson movie, Lost In Translation (www.parkhyatttokyo.com).

Where to Stay (Prefectures): In Saitama, I stayed at the Kawagoe Prince Hotel (www.princehotels.com/en/kawagoe/); in Chiba at the Hotel New Otani Makuhari, a new mid-rise, businessman’s hotel (www.newotani.co.jp/en/makuhari/); in Narita, near the airport at the Hilton Hotel Narita (www.hilton.com/narita-airport, where I stayed on a prior visit; and in Nagano, at the luxurious spa-resort Hoshinoya Karuizawa (www.hoshinoya.com/en).

Great Buddha at Mount Nakogiri-Yama, Chiba prefecture.

Hiker heading to the top of Mount Nakogiri-Yama, Chiba prefecture.

Japanese woman at the Edo Castle buildings, grounds of Kitain Temple, Kawagoe.

Procession of Buddhist monks, Narita-san Shinshoji Temple.

Two of the 500 Rakans, statues of the disciples of Buddha, at Kitain Temple, Kawagoe.

Young Japanese girl standing before Kitain Temple, Kawagoe.

TURKEY REIGNS SUPREME

Thanksgiving Dinner at Keens Steakhouse Continues to be the Best Meal of the Year

By James Rosenthal, Food and Wine Editor

Bill Rodgers, executive chef at Keens Steakhouse in New York City, cooks his 55 Thanksgiving turkeys with the love and attention you’d expect from a Michelin-four star chef preparing a gorgeous plate of foie gras de canard chaux aux raisins or a Pauillac lamb.

The organic free-range turkeys from Quattro Farms in upstate New York are the best birds in America for flavor and freshness. But the genius of a Thanksgiving dinner at Keens is that you can skip the turkey and opt instead for the best prime rib in New York City or the freshest Dover Sole this side of Bond Street in London.

Here, in what has become an annual holiday treat at Natural Traveler. Com, we bring you an analysis of the Thanksgiving menu from Rodgers on the eve of his favorite day of the year.

All-American Thanksgiving Day Dinner Menu (Comments by Executive Chef Bill Rodgers)

Iced Relish Tray “This signature item has been a tradition at Keens for longer than I can remember and it is a comforting way to start a festive holiday meal. The relish tray includes carrots, celery sticks, olives, pickles and our house-made blue cheese dressing.”

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First Course Choices

Traditional Iced Shrimp Cocktail “We serve five shrimp with our house-made cocktail sauce. Instead of the typical lemon wedges, I serve the shrimp with a lemon confit: I cure thin slices of lemon in salt and sugar and arrange them on the plate as a delicious, edible garnish.”

Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras “I sauté the fois gras in a reduction of celery root puree, stems of chanterelle mushrooms, white wine vinegar, shallots and veal stock.”

Lobster and Celery Root Salad “This is my interpretation of a celery remoulade, a classic French Bistro-style salad. I compose a julienne of celery root, celery slices and chunks of fresh lobster and toss them in a creamy mustard vinaigrette dressing.”

Baby Pumpkin with Chanterelles, Wild Rice, Apples and Pecans “My inspiration for this dish is a stuffed pork chop I cook at home for my kids, which includes a ragout of bacon, pecans, wild rice and apples. I decided use the pumpkins as more than just a decoration this year: I hollow out a baby pumpkin, roast it and also make a pumpkin puree. I make my ragout of all the ingredients for the stuffing—bacon, apples, pecans, wild rice and chanterelles, and put it inside the hollowed out pumpkin and serve the puree on top.”

Maryland Lump Crab Cakes “The focus is on the freshness of the crab. We serve two large crab cakes that are packed with complex flavors and a small frisee salad to add color to the plate.”

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Second Course Choices

Butternut Squash Soup “A puree of butternut squash, chicken stock, a touch of cream and traditional Thanksgiving flavors like all spice, nutmeg and cinnamon. We garnish it with a dollop of nutmeg-infused whipped cream.”

Grilled Hearts of Romaine Salad “Instead of the Caesar Salad that I’ve done in the past, I decided to take hearts of Romaine lettuce, split them down the center, brush them with a little canola oil and grill them and serve them with a whole-grain mustard vinaigrette.”

Main Course Choices

All entrees are served with a selection of Glazed Carrots, Smashed Candied Yams, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, Fine String Beans and Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Quattro Farms Organic Free-Range Turkey “We purchase 55 perfect turkeys (about 22 pounds each) and then I brine each and every one of them for 24 hours. I let them dry in our dry-aging room. And on Thanksgiving Day I will brush them with butter before beginning the long day of roasting turkeys. The stuffing is made from a mixture of delicious crunchy bread from the famous Parisi Bakery, garlic butter, chicken stock, onions, rosemary, sage and parmesan. We roast our first turkey at 4 a.m. and the final turkey goes into the oven {Keens has 9 ovens} at noon. The first seating is at 1 p.m. and the final seating is at 9 p.m., with the last dinners being plated at about 10:30 p.m.”

King’s Cut Prime Rib of Beef “This is a 32-ounce prime rib served with a thyme-scented veal jus, a roasted red bell pepper, and a side of horseradish jus-- a sauce made from beef stock, horseradish and panko bread crumbs.”

Authentic Dover Sole “The Dover Sole is served with a lemon-and-herb butter sauce that perfectly accents the flavors of the fish.”

Our Legendary Mutton Chop “A 32-ounce cross-cut saddle of mutton served with a mint-scented lamb jus and fresh escarole.”

Surf ‘n Turf “A great combo of a 1 ¼ pound Maine lobster, served with tails and claws, and an 8 ounce Prime Filet accompanied by either red wine sauce, sauce béarnaise or au poivre.

Dessert Course Choices

Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Whipped Cream “The ginger whipped cream complements the other seasonal spices in the pie.”

Lady M Chocolate Cake “A chocolate mousse combined with a delicious cake makes this a perfect dessert.”

Our Family Carrot Cake “This holiday classic features fresh carrots, walnuts and thick cream cheese frosting.”

Pecan Pie with Bourbon Whipped Cream “The bourbon whipped cream is our signature for this classic.”

Ice Creams and Sorbets

Keens Full Roast Coffee and Assorted Black and Herbal Teas

IF YOU GO

Keens Steakhouse, 72 West 36^th Street, New York, NY 10018;

Call 212-947-3636 for reservations.

Thanksgiving Dinner is served from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on November 24. Phone for regular business hours and menu items.

Baby pumpkin with apples, wild rice, cashews and pecans

Foie gras for Thanksgiving

Lobster and celery root salad for Thanksgiving

Grilled romaine hearts salad for Thanksgiving

From Fabulous to Awesome:

The Journey from Las Vegas to Southern Utah’s National Parks

By Ken Taylor

Photos by the author

False spring is a common term, so it follows that there probably is a false fall as well. It’s certainly true here in southern Utah. The calendar may say November and the Aspens may have turned gold, but it’s 85 degrees in the sunshine even at 6000 feet, and I’m still adding to my tan every time I’m out of the rental SUV.

I’ve driven over from Las Vegas, having trailed along again with my daughter to one of her meetings. And while Las Vegas bills itself as a family vacation spot – not for this family, not at this time – we’ve left her nine-year-old daughter home. I like Las Vegas, though. The first time I was here Elvis was playing at the Hilton and the slots paid off with real silver dollars. Later on, I realized that it’s the perfect jumping-off spot for excursions to the natural wonders that abound in the region – Death Valley, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead to name just a few. Even the Grand Canyon is within reachable distance.

However, this time it’s southern Utah and Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks – two separate and absolutely unique and spectacular national treasures. They may be hollowed out and worn through by millions of years of wind and water, but the excitement of seeing them for the first time is just as fresh today as it was when the first Native American peoples came upon them. And, while only about 85 miles separate the two, they are eons apart in appearance and ecology.

I’ve decided to visit the furthest first, Zion National Park, 125 miles-or-so from Las Vegas, but I still have to navigate out of town. Actually, this turns out to be fairly simple, even with the sudden culture shock -- once past the glitter of The Strip, the glamour drop-off is acute and the rest of town might as well be Bakersfield with more neon. But now, heading up Las Vegas Boulevard, it’s just a question of picking a likely cross street leading out to US 15, then turning right and pointing myself northeast toward Utah.

Almost immediately, this city of luck and illusions and wandering tourists drops away, and the desert spreads out toward the mountains, brown and reddish gray in the early morning sun. I watch a fat C-130 Air Force transport descend toward me, on final approach to Nellis AFB not far away. The mountains move closer as I crane my neck to watch two fighter jets shriek by in the opposite direction. Then it’s just road traffic as I head toward St. George, Utah, and an early lunch.

A bit later, outside the entrance of Zion National Park in Springfield, a lovely small town, fresh and neat even in today’s record-for-the-date-setting autumn heat (60 degrees is normal for November), I learn that alas, this late in the season, there are no shuttles operating to the park from town, nor inside the park for that matter. The good news is that this means there won’t be any long lines, camera-toting crowds at the viewing points, or columns of hikers along the pathways and trails. Pulling up at the main gate, I discover that, in a neo-senior moment, I’ve forgotten my Golden Age Passport, which affords free lifetime admission to national parks. This card is one of my better tourist decisions: it costs little and saves plenty when I’m driving around the country. One of the always friendly and accommodating Park Service employees quickly issues me a Senior Pass, and I’m covered and on my way.

As with most parks, Zion offers a variety of viewing options, depending upon the amount of time available to the visitor. As I have only one day, I spend the next four hours driving myself around, solitary, but no less enthralled.

Even though you can see fall’s designs in the way the light slants in on the changing leaves, and there are patches of snow in the higher elevations remaining from last week’s storm (it’s like the high passes over the San Juan mountains in southern Colorado, where even in the hottest days of summer, slow-melting snow banks along the highway impel tourists to burst out of their vehicles and wing snowballs at each other), it’s a beautiful sunny day, the kind I like best, just made for enjoyment of all that nature has to offer.

Really, the best way to take in this place is, first, walk as much as you can, and second, have a camera with a super-wide angle lens to get it all in. Bicycles are good, horseback is better. Failing that, or with too little time to see it all, and with the shuttles not running between November and spring, there is little choice but to use your vehicle and get out and walk around at every opportunity. For a touch of dash, a spiffy convertible might be nice -- in short, anything without a roof. There is just so much to view as far and as high as the eye can see, from its lowest part at 3666 feet at Coal Pits Wash to 8726 ft at Horse Ranch Mountain. However, more realistically, a four-wheel drive SUV or pickup is probably the best bet.

The road through the park provides ample scenic cutoffs, so it’s no problem to pull over and get out for pictures, or just sit on a bench or rock and admire what nature has provided: clear flowing streams with white pebbles dancing along the bed, curving through the green and yellow cottonwoods along the bank; and beyond, as a backdrop, looming majestic sculptured cliffs framing all of it.

There are varieties of undergrowth: cactus, juniper, pine, box elder, sagebrush and yucca are all around, while deeper in, mountain lions and mule deer and recently introduced bighorn sheep roam its shady glades. Soaring above, golden eagles compete with such rarities as the peregrine falcon, Mexican spotted owl and California condor for the next meal below.

There is plenty of territory to cover, but probably the best part, certainly the most popular in the 229-square-mile wilderness is Zion Canyon, 15 miles long and nearly a half mile deep, a green swath cutting through reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone escarpments. Vehicles line up in the early mornings and late afternoons at different observations points, allowing admirers with their cameras to capture the light as it crosses nature’s stage.

After the native peoples, Mormons came upon the canyon in 1858 and settled here in the early 1860s. The location was certainly well-chosen – solitary and inspiring in its grandeur. The park was established as Mukuntuweap National Monument in 1909 and designated by Congress as a national park in 1919. In 2010, Zion recorded a bit over 2.6 million visitors.

All of them I’m sure, quickly discovered that there is no rushing through any of this splendor, nor any reason to, so a long day can be spent wandering alongside gently chuckling streams, peering down into wide canyons flanked by glowing rock cliffs, or hiking into box canyons blocked by sculpted rock so completely vertical that anyone craning their neck to frame a photograph is in danger of toppling over backwards.

Zion’s companion masterpiece, Bryce Canyon, is less than two hours away. It’s a relatively short but scenic drive over the next morning, but an entirely different experience. For one thing, the altitude is higher up -- between 8,000 and 9,000 feet. The name is misleading as well; it’s not really a canyon but a giant natural amphitheater, wind-whipped and eroded by time and nature out of the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. It is also a completely different color: the results of the two palettes are like comparing the painters of the Hudson River School to Van Gogh – the precisely detailed, glowing fall colors of the former clashing up against vibrant reds, whites, browns, pinks and orange of Vincent’s mad energy, all splashed across a canvas in weird, twisted geometric shapes. These are the geological structures called hoodoos, walls of flutes, pipes and chimneys carved by wind, water and ice erosion from the river and lake bed’s sedimentary rocks.

Because of its more remote location, the park is less frequented by visitors than Zion (Bryce Canyon saw 1.7 million in 2010), but this day sightseers seemed to be present in about the same numbers as the previous day at Zion. Indeed, a few might have even been the same people: an eco-tourist’s daily double.

The area here, again, was settled in the 1850’s by Mormons, and became a national monument in 1923, followed by designation as a National Park five years later. The famous hoodoos which make up a large part of the 56-square mile preserve are said to be one of the largest such concentrations found anywhere on earth.

Arriving motorists are greeted by impressive natural archways spanning the highway, leading into fantastic erosion-created architecture: here a window, there a wall, over them a bridge, behind and beyond wind canyons of spectral pikes and staffs and pinnacles. Viewed on a sunny day (the warm summer weather of yesterday persists), at any hour, the effect is mesmerizing. From every different angle, these naturally created wonders glow warmly and invitingly. The observer gets the sensation of wanting to climb down and touch them, to walk among them, listening for the music from these giant organ pipes that might somehow emanate in this sun-dappled cathedral. Today, it’s only the wind.

Fortunately, visitors are encouraged to climb down and move along the eight hiking trails that are provided. It’s also possible to walk along the Rim Trail, which is very popular though steep in spots, but it’s paved and allows unmatched views between Sunset and Sunrise Points.

On my last night on the road I stayed at Ruby’s Inn, a Best Western just down from the park, and a surviving tintype of history itself. The original Mr. Ruby established a ranch in 1916 at the edge of the present-day park. When Bryce became a national monument in 1923, he was right on hand to expand his tourism business and build a visitors’ lodge on his ranch. Now, within a Lincoln-log sprawl of shopping areas, galleries and restaurants, his children and grandchildren carry on his welcoming tradition.

For some reason, at the restaurant on this night the greeter decided to seat me right in the middle of tables filled with couples and families – no doubt because I hate to eat alone. However, this turned out to be interesting. I learned that people are generally the same all over, except that cowboys wear their Stetsons while eating. And one other thing: what looked to be an Israeli motorcycle gang – a group of about a dozen or so out-of-shape men seated directly in front of me. Dressed in the usual road warrior accoutrements -- leathers, do-rags, sleeveless tee-shirts, scuffed boots, etc. -- they were all perfectly behaved and friendly, and the only difference here from the usual bands of bikers was that they were all talking loudly in Hebrew. An Israeli motorcycle gang? Oops – that’s a wrong turn!

Maybe some kind of exchange program with the Mormons, I wondered. The back of one tee-shirt had crossed American-Israeli flags. I would have stepped over to read the inscription, but didn't want to draw even more attention to myself as the only lonely guy in the room. Was there a Mormon group, I wondered, in the Holy Land right now, whooping it up at the Motorock Bar in Tel-Aviv, Israel’s first and only bikers’ hangout? Certainly the two states are similar in topography and ecology, and for Utah residents, it would be a lot easier to get a drink there compared with Utah’s puzzling alcohol laws.

In any event, for those driving America’s roads in summer, motorcycle groups are not an uncommon sight. Especially in national parks. Don’t let the calf and neck tattoos, mullets and Goth feathers and makeup fool you (and that’s just the females); generally they are very friendly, loving the chance to get together and out on the road, and are properly appreciative of the national park experience.

In the morning, coming away from Bryce, I missed my turn, and stopped at Grannie’s Attic, a roadside store with signs painted and stuck all over the exterior, the kind you speed by and five miles later wished you’d stopped at. This time, however, it was worth it, for after a discussion amid the cram and clutter with a kindly post-hippie (Grannie herself? I thought it ungentlemanly to ask), my stop gave me the opportunity to drive over Utah 14, a state highway that runs for about 40 miles from Rt. 89 where I had paused, puzzled, over to Cedar City on the other side, and thence to US 15, my ultimate destination.

A few miles in and up, the Markaguant High Plateau Scenic Byway, as probably no one takes the time to call it, passes by the popular Duck Creek Village, which, with its raw wood cabins and lodges set comfortably at 8400 feet, looks like the set for the 70’s movie “McCabe & Mrs. Miller.” Off in the distance to the right is the Markaguant Plateau itself, topping out at 10,400 feet. With these twists and turns and ups and downs, I’m thankful to only skirt the plateau, the six cylinders of the SUV already chugging breathlessly at this altitude. The downgrades are better; rollercoaster turns all the way (Utah’s Department of Transportation wisely bans any vehicle over 12 feet long). Halfway through, the highway splits off to the right, heading toward Cedar Breaks National Monument and then on to Brian Head ski area, before connecting in turn with US 15.

This is an amazing drive (a big favorite with our friends the cyclists) -- long sections of scrub oak and maple; roadside layers of black lava from a thousand years before, looking for all the world like piles of melted tires; and below and above, forests of slim and elegant aspens, red and gold in the fall sunshine. Near the top, some 9900 feet above sea level, a restaurant sign offers steaks and fresh seafood. Seafood? Flying fish? Probably more likely lake trout from nearby Navajo Lake. On this day the lake is a shimmering blue platter reflecting the deep cloudless sky above. It’s more like a giant pond, the lava having flowed down and damming a creek running from Markagaunt Plateau. This is a particularly lovely spot, well worth slowing down to a crawl, or even to spend some time picture-taking, all the better to appreciate its gift of majestic scenery in the fresh, pure mountain air.

Winding down to a mere 5820 feet, I make my final stop at Cedar City. This is a lovely western town which hosts, among other events, its own yearly Shakespearian festival. Our encyclopedically helpful guide at Grannie’s had also recommended Jolley’s Ranchwear here as a likely spot for Indian moccasins for my granddaughter Annie; as usual I resist the temptation to outfit myself with a complete western rig. A few doors down is an unexpected treat, an independent book store – a vanishing breed unfortunately – packed with bargain used books.

From there, it’s a left turn onto US 15 and south toward Las Vegas, where my daughter has shepherded her internationally prominent doctors and specialists through their final seminars at the fabulous Palazzo where we are staying, and now is free for some relaxation. Shopping, actually, and nothing ranks for shopping with the Grand Canal Shoppes, a fabulous look-alike for the Piazza San Marco in Venice -- only here it’s always pink sunset and the gondoliers chant to and from work like the seven dwarfs in “Snow White.” (No pigeons, either.) Adjacent to the Venetian and Palazzo hotels, it boasts famous- name bistros and restaurants and arrays and varieties of stores and shops, and we don’t even have to go outside.

The topper is an evening at the Cirque du Soleil’s water spectacular, “O,” at the Love Theatre, no more than a credit-card distance away from the Palazzo. In this city where excess has devalued even hyperbole, fabulous is the only way to describe the show – there is no other word for it. Of course, everything is fabulous in Las Vegas.

And there you have it: the modern American west. Artificial glamour juxtaposed with natural wonder – Fabulous!

If You Go

Bryce Canyon National Park is open throughout the year. Bryce Canyon Lodge operates from April 1 until November 1. There may be temporary road closures during and shortly after winter snow storms. Located 4.5 miles south of the intersection of state Hwy. 12 & Hwy. 63, Bryce, Utah.

http://www.nps.gov/brca

Markaguant Scenic Byway State Highway 14 -- On October 8, 2011 a mountainside next to the highway near mile marker 8 on Rt14 eight miles east of Cedar City gave way and a landslide took out about 1300 feet of roadway, closing the highway indefinitely.

Zion National Park is open year-round. Free shuttle bus operations run between April 1 and October 30. Zion National Park is located on State Route 9 in Springdale, Utah. http://www.nps.gov/zion

Best Western Ruby’s Inn offers, in addition to the rooms and shopping, swimming pools, a post office, foreign currency exchange, laundromats, car rental, gas station, a liquor store and a crackling log fire in a western-sized stone fire place in the main lounge. http://www.rubysinn.com

Biker Bar. http://www.metaltravelguide.com/.../tel-aviv/_motorock-bikers-bar

The author has also written a children's Christmas story -- "The Jellymonsters Christmas." If you would like to read it, please go to www.jellymonsters.org.

A flashing stream, white pebbles dancing on the bed, flows between green and yellow cottonwoods along the bank at Zion National Park.

Spectral lines of hoodoos flow back as far as the eye can see and the imagination can stretch.

The fantastic shapes of nature -- here a window, there a wall, over them a bridge. Bryce Canyon National Park.

Flutes, pipes, and chimneys carved by wind, water, and ice. Bryce Canyon National Park.

Glowing in the late afternoon sun, hoodoos at Bryce Canyon stand like ancient Moorish castles.

Navaho Lake at 9000 feet floats across the horizon, a pristine blue under Utah's deep sky.