Hither & Yon

International Palms Resort

I arrived on Monday at the International Palms Resort on International Drive in Orlando, Florida.

I'm here for the EQUIP Conference, a gathering of a few hundred Salvation Army youth workers.

My room (above) is roomy, and the view from my window (below) is very "viewy."

It's my first time at this venue, which is not exactly state of the art but plenty comfy by my standards. And the weather my hosts have arranged is pretty darn good.

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Cap City Diner

It would be easy to miss the Cap City Diner at 1299 Olentangy River Road in Columbus, Ohio...but don't.

The diner (which is much larger inside than appears from the road, and which features a full bar as well) is one of restaurateur Cameron Mitchell's dozen area establishments.

And it's a great one. Of course, they had me at "hello, warm and soft dinner rolls."

Robin's pot roast with seasonal vegetables prompted the ravest (is that a word?) review I've heard from her in a long time.

And my southern fried chicken with mashed potatoes, green beans and red peppers was excellent. I actually loved the vegetables. Yes, you heard that right: I loved the vegetables.

The portions were large, just the way I like them, and perfectly prepared and presented. The service was likewise just right--attentive but un-intrusive.

If you're ever in the area, make a meal at Cap City Diner a top priority.

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Fairfield Inn & Suites, Columbus, OH

The lovely Robin and I checked into the Fairfield Inn and Suites on Olentangy River Road near the OSU campus in Columbus, Ohio, today.

We are here so Robin can attend a play therapy conference Friday and Saturday, just a few miles away at Columbus State University.

The accommodations are both clean and comfortable if not luxurious. The hotel offers a pool, jacuzzi, exercise room, guest laundry, meeting rooms, and (most importantly, to me) a complimentary breakfast.

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Pinch Me Places: Ponce de León Sites

One of the "Pinch me places" I've been thrilled and amazed to visit was earlier this year, when I got to see "Casa Blanca," the sprawling house built by Spanish explorer (and early governor of the region) Juan Ponce de León.

He built it in 1521--a date so close to the discovery of the Americas (and Ponce de León's own discovery of Florida) that it hardly seems possible--though he never lived in it. He died during an expedition to Florida while the structure was being built. It was, however, the residence of his descendants until the mid-eighteenth century. Today, Casa Blance is a museum of sixteenth- and seventeenth century artifacts managed by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. It is one of the oldest buildings in Puerto Rico and is, of course, a cultural treasure.

Also on that trip was a quick visit to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on (appropriately enough) Calle del Cristo in the heart of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.

It has been the final resting place of Juan Ponce de León since 1836, when his remains were transferred here from the nearby San Jose Church (which I also got to see, though only from the outside). The cathedral is considered one of the most important landmarks on the island of Puerto Rico. The original construction of straw and wood began in 1521, and (due to storms and fires) was repeatedly rebuilt over the years. The current structure dates to 1584.

Ponce de León has been a subject of study for me for some time, for various reasons. It was amazing to be able to see the home he built and his final resting place, 521 years after he sailed with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World, and 501 years after his discovery of (possibly) Florida.

The Mellow Mushroom

The lovely Robin and I met a couple good, old friends (yeah, you heard that right, Larry and Janet) at The Mellow Mushroom in West Chester last evening for dinner.

We were greeted and seated immediately in the spacious and lively dining room. Our server was cheerful and attentive (but not intrusive), and the food was spectacular. Robin and I each had an "Enlightened Spinach Salad" (the Mellow Mushroom often pays tribute to its roots in hippie culture), and then Robin indulged in the "Mega Veggie" pizza:

Having seen a couple folks at a nearby table sharing a Red Skin Potato Pie (I often spy on other diners' meals to see what looks good), I ordered one for myself:

It was inexpressibly delicious, and neither of us finished our pie, but that just means we had some to bring home to enjoy later.

It was a wonderful meal with great company, and an experience we won't hesitate to repeat...often.

The Mellow Mushroom is located at 9238 Floer Drive, just off Union Center Blvd. in West Chester, Ohio.

Pinch Me Places: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

I've been there four times, and each time it has been a "pinch me place." It is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, which is in all likelihood the actual place of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection:

Though it is a sprawling church that doesn't quite preserve the "ambiance" of the hill we call Calvary, it has for many centuries marked and preserved the site of the crucifixion (where the bedrock at the top of Calvary has been left open to sight around the altar):

Another focal point in the church is the "stone of unction," where tradition says Jesus' body was laid to prepare for burial after coming down from the cross:

And, "close at hand" as the Gospel says in John 19:42, is the site of the most momentous event in human history, the tomb of Jesus, marked by "the edifice," a boxlike chapel within the church (it's a big place). There, in a Crusader chapel built on Byzantine foundations and revered from the earliest days of Christianity, is this altar commemorating the resurrection:

It is a place of staggering antiquity and of breathtaking historical, spiritual, and personal--for me--importance. It is impossible to take it all in. But it will always be for me the quintessential "pinch me place."

Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen

My recent trip to Holmes County, Ohio, with the lovely Robin wasn't ALL about eating. Okay, yes. Yes, it was. As proven by our Saturday evening journey to Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen in Mt. Hope, Ohio.

“Mrs. Yoder's Kitchen” isn't just a name. It is actually Gloria Yoder's restaurant. She grew up in Mt. Hope, but she didn't grow up Amish. She was an “English” child in the area, but her restaurant features good Amish-style home cooking, nonetheless.

Robin opted for the buffet so she could have all of her favorites--noodles over mashed potatoes, tender pot roast, sugar beets, mmm mmm mmm.

I took a more responsible tack, and ordered from the menu, though I ordered the bread-and-salad bar as one of my sides. That yellow egg, below, is something called a "mustard egg." Good.